WASHINGTON, D.C. – During questioning from Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) in a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, top Biden defense officials Secretary Lloyd Austin and General Mark Milley admitted it was a poor decision for the Biden administration to share U.S. intelligence about Russia with the Chinese. 

These revelations come after a bombshell report that the Biden administration met with Chinese officials and shared intelligence on Russian troop movements, which Beijing then passed to Moscow.

After the hearing, Senator Blackburn stated, “It is astonishing that neither General Milley nor Secretary Austin were aware of a widely reported story that the Biden administration shared intelligence with Chinese officials. DNI Director Avril Haines, NSA Advisor Jake Sullivan, and CIA Director William Burns need to come before this Committee and explain why they thought it was appropriate to give our intelligence to the Chinese, who then gave it to the Russians. We should not be giving American secrets to Beijing or helping Putin commit war crimes.”

View the questioning here.

Partial Transcript:

SENATOR BLACKBURN: Would you agree that giving our adversaries access to our intel reports is a poor decision? 

SECRETARY AUSTIN: Exactly. I think that's something that we absolutely work to avoid. 

BLACKBURN: Okay. And so then, and why did senior Biden officials hold nearly half a dozen meetings with top Chinese officials to give them information on Russian troop movements? 

AUSTIN: I don't know of… I don't have insights on any occurrences like that. 

BLACKBURN: Okay. It seems the Chinese called up their comrades in Russia and sent Moscow the intel that Biden staffers provided them. And it appears that U.S. officials knew Beijing gave the intel to Moscow. So, I would imagine you do not support giving Russia our intelligence. 

AUSTIN: I am unfamiliar with the issue that you raised, but you are right. I do not support giving our adversaries…

BLACKBURN: Alright. General Milley, under what circumstances, if any, have you advised intelligence sharing with Beijing?

GENERAL MILLEY: Zero. Never. 

BLACKBURN: Thank you. Given what we know now about how that subsequently shared information, this intelligence went to Moscow, what would you advise for similar scenarios going forward? 

MILLEY: I don't think you should give intelligence to your adversary – period.