DUBLIN – President Joe Biden said Thursday that U.S. officials are “getting close” to wrapping up their investigation into the leak of highly classified documentsabout the war in Ukraine and U.S. spying.
Biden told reporters traveling with him in Ireland, where he is on a three-day trip, that he could not provide an update on the case because “there’s a full-blown investigation going on” involving the intelligence community and the Justice Department.
“They’re getting close,” he said.
Asked by USA TODAY if he was concerned about the leak, Biden said, “I'm not concerned about the leak. I'm concerned that it happened. But there's nothing contemporaneous that I'm aware of that’s of great consequence.”
Dig deeper:Pentagon document leak: Here are the biggest takeaways after U.S. military secrets leaked
More:Pentagon warns that leak of secret documents on Ukraine war could lead to loss of lives
The documents, which have appeared on social media, seem to show printouts of battlefield updates and assessments. Some are labeled top secret, and not to be shared with even allies.
The secrets exposed in the leak appear to include the shortage of critically needed artillery shells for Ukrainian forces ahead of an expected spring offensive, U.S. spy planes in the region and information revealing the extent of U.S. spying on its adversaries and allies.
The documents appear to have been used to update senior officials, including the Joint Chiefs of Staff on the war in Ukraine that Russian President Vladmir Putin launched in February 2022
The Justice Department has begun a criminal investigation at the Pentagon's behest.
Joey Garrison and Michael Collins cover the White House. Follow Garrison on Twitter @joeygarrison and Collins @mcollinsNEWS.
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