Headline Roundup • December 30th, 2020
Trump Administration to Declassify Unconfirmed Intel About Chinese Attacks on U.S. Soldiers
Summary from the AllSides News Team
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Axios
The Trump administration is declassifying as-yet uncorroborated intelligence, recently briefed to President Trump, that indicates China offered to pay non-state actors in Afghanistan to attack American soldiers, two senior administration officials tell Axios.
The big picture: The disclosure of this unconfirmed intelligence comes 21 days before the end of Trump's presidency, after he has vowed to ratchet up pressure on China, and months after news reports indicated that the Russians had secretly offered bounties for Taliban militants to kill U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
President Donald Trump will be declassifying U.S. intelligence findings that China paid non-state actors in Afghanistan to attack American soldiers, Axios reported.
The findings were briefed to Trump on Dec. 17, two senior administration officials told Axios.
Trump has sought to withdraw troops from Afghanistan and increase maximum pressure campaigns on China before he would leave office next month.
While China has maintained a mostly quiet diplomatic role in Afghanistan affairs, Axios has reported China has invited Taliban officials to Beijing for peace talks, but "Chinese-made weapons and financing have...
President Donald Trump received information earlier this month that China sought to pay non-state actors to attack American forces in Afghanistan, a senior administration official said.
The intelligence, which will be declassified by the Trump administration, was provided to the President in his daily brief on December 17, the official said. His national security adviser Robert O'Brien discussed the information with the President that same day, the official said.
News of the briefing and the administration's intention to declassify the information was first reported on Wednesday by Axios. Information of...
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