After Iran leak, White House aims to limit sharing of classified intel with Congress

The White House is aiming to limit the sharing of classified material with Congress, according to a senior White House official who was not authorized to comment publicly on the matter and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The official does not provide details on how the administration would limit the flow of classified information to lawmakers.

Congressional lawmakers have the authority to receive classified information as part of their legislative and oversight duty. The change seems certain to be challenged by Congress members.

The move, first reported by Axios, comes after the publication of details of a Defense Intelligence Agency assessment that determined Iran’s nuclear program has been set back only a few months after US strikes.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt doesn’t directly answer reporters on whether the administration intended to limit lawmakers’ access to classified material, but she makes clear the administration wants to take action after the leak.

“We certainly don’t want people that are hostile to this government and are trying to undermine our national security to have classified intelligence in their hands if they’re not going to be responsible with it,” Leavitt says.