Gowdy insists Pompeo, Ratcliffe and O'Brien 'would never allow bounties to be set on our soldiers, ever'
Former House Intelligence Committee member casts doubt on New York Times report of Russian bounties on US troops in Afghanistan
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fox News contributor and former House Intelligence Committee member Trey Gowdy told "Your World" Wednesday that if intelligence officials had deemed information that Russia offered Taliban-linked militants bounties for the deaths of American soldiers to be credible, President Trump would have been briefed on it immediately.
"By what quantum of information or evidence [do] you need to know something before you brief the commander-in-chief?" Gowdy asked host Neil Cavuto. "If there is a one percent chance it is true, are you going to tell him about it? Probably not."
The White House has vehemently denied that President Trump was briefed on the issue despite reporting to the contrary. The New York Times reported late Monday that the bounty issue was in the written President's Daily Brief earlier this year. It has been widely reported, however, that Trump does not read the detailed brief regularly, and is more often briefed on intelligence issues verbally.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}TRUMP NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR 'SURPRISED' NYT PUBLISHED UNCORROBORATED INTEL
Gowdy told Cavuto that he trusted Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe, National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to bring credible allegations to the president's attention, especially when they concern the lives of U.S. soldiers.
Ratcliffe recently "dropped his youngest daughter off at the Naval Academy, where she will begin a decade of service. Robert O'Brien has a child who wore the uniform. Mike Pompeo wore the uniform of this country," Gowdy said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"If they believe that Russians were setting bounties on soldiers, they would all three be in the president's office before this interview ended," he went on.
MCENANY: PELOSI 'PLAYING POLITICS' WITH 'FALSE' REPORTING ON RUSSIAN BOUNTIES FOR US TROOPS
Gowdy also scolded Democrats for politicizing the issue and using the opportunity to take shots at the administration.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I know they don't like President Trump. I know they don't want him to get reelected, but this is military," he said. "This is our country's interest. What you are doing is maligning people like Ratcliffe and O'Brien and Pompeo, who would never allow bounties to be set on our soldiers, ever."
Fox News' Julia Musto contributed to this report.