Gen. H.R. McMaster is correct in saying leaks coming from President Donald Trump's private meetings are threatening national security and must be shut down immediately, retired U.S. Army Major Gen. Paul Vallely told Newsmax TV.
"If I was chief of staff, within 24 hours I'd have that locked down as far as leaks are concerned – they've got to stop it," Vallely told host Bill Tucker on Tuesday's "America Talks Live."
"McMaster was absolutely correct in making his stance about that from the standpoint of locking down any kind of leaks and holding people responsible who have made those leaks."
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Vallely's remarks came after McMaster, Trump's national security adviser, insisted the "premise" of The Washington Post report the president shared classified information with Russia during a closed door meeting in the Oval Office last week is untrue.
"The premise of the article is false," McMaster told the White House press corps. "The real issue is our national security has been put at risk by those of violating confidentiality and those releasing information to the press that could be used in connecting with other information available to make American citizens and others more vulnerable."
Vallely, who chairs the pro-U.S. think tank Standup America, said the leaks are particularly disturbing because they concern what national leaders "in a confined closed environment" are discussing and can have a "very positive or negative" global impact.
"Leaders coming into the White House, if they don't feel confident that they can talk straight and talk in a way that's confidential, they're going to shut up," Vallely said. "They're not going to be able to talk these problems through."
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