White House spokesman Sean Spicer declined to comment on reports about Kushner-Russia channel.
WASHINGTON — White House spokesman Sean Spicer declined Tuesday to comment on reports that presidential adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner hoped to set up a back-channel communication with the Russian government during the transition to the new administration.
Asked by reporters whether Kushner discussed that with Trump, Spicer said he would not « get into what the president did or did not discuss. »
« What your question assumes is a lot of facts that are not substantiated by anything but anonymous sources, » Spicer said at the White House daily briefing, his first since Trump returned from his first overseas trip.
As Trump met with other world leaders at the G-7 summit last week, The Washington Post reported that Kushner spoke with Russia’s ambassador to the United States about setting up a back-channel between Trump’s transition team and the Kremlin. The secure channel reportedly would have used Russian diplomatic facilities in an apparent move to shield pre-inauguration discussions from monitoring.
While Spicer questioned the credibility of the report, he referred to recent comments made by National Security Adviser H. R. McMaster and Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly supporting the practice of back-channel communications as an appropriate part of diplomacy.
« It’s both normal, in my opinion, and acceptable, » Kelly said on ABC Sunday. « Any way that you can communicate with people, particularly organizations that are maybe not particularly friendly to us, is a good thing. »
Asked how it was appropriate for a private citizen — as Kushner was at the time — to engage in back-channel diplomacy, Spicer again refereed to Kelly’s and McMaster’s general comments about the practice.
He also said Kushner’s attorney has volunteered to share information on the Russian meetings with the congressional committees investigating Russia’s interference in the election.
Spicer declined to say whether Trump has met with his private attorneys about defending himself in the investigation being undertaken by a special counsel
« The president has a lot of meetings, » Spicer said. « If the president has a decision on anything, we’ll be sure to let you know. »
Spicer also said to stay tuned on whether the United States will pull out of the landmark Paris climate change agreement. Trump has been spending a great deal of time on the issue, he said, including discussing it Tuesday morning with Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt, and will make an announcement « shortly. »
« He wants a fair deal for the American people, » Spicer said. He said he has not asked Trump whether the president believes human activity is contributing to climate change.
The climate change agreement was discussed at the G-7 summit, after which German chancellor Angela Merkel said Europeans « really have to take our destiny into our own hands. »
Asked if that comment will affect Trump’s decision, Spicer responded: « What he ultimately decides is up to him. »
