Report: US officials warn Israelis over sharing intel with Trump administration

American intelligence officials have warned their Israeli counterparts over sharing information with the Donald Trump administration, over concerns about the President-elect’s alleged ties to Russia.

According to a report in Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot by investigative journalist Ronen Bergman,  Israeli intelligence officials are concerned that any classified information they share with the US under a Trump presidency “could lead to their being leaked to Russia and onward to Iran.”

The paper reported that “American intelligence officials expressed despair at the election of Trump during a recent meeting with their Israeli counterparts”, and said that they believed Russian President Vladimir Putin had unspecified “leverages of pressure” over Trump.

Bergman claimed US officials implied Israel should “be careful” when transferring intelligence information to the White House and the National Security Council following Trump’s inauguration, “at least until it is clear that Trump does not have inappropriate connections with Russia.”