United States chief mum on possible Donald Trump pressure on Russia probe

Washington: US Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats on Tuesday sidestepped questions about an explosive report which said President Donald Trump pressured him to help push back against the probe into Russian ties with his campaign.

But amid controversy over Trump's alleged spilling of US intelligence information to Russia's foreign minister, Coats also strongly condemned leaks of US secrets as having a damaging impact on national security.

Coats told a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee that he would not comment on the Washington Post report late yesterday that Trump pressed both him and National Security Agency Director Michael Rogers to publicly deny any evidence of collusion between his campaign and Russia during last year's presidential election.

Citing current and former intelligence officials, the Post said neither Rogers nor Coats, who was appointed by Trump, complied with the request.

The report added to concerns that Trump has tried to stifle an FBI and Justice Department probe into whether anyone in his presidential campaign last year colluded with Russian covert interference in the election.

Asked whether the Post report was accurate, Coats declined to comment, citing his role as a key briefer of the president on national security issues.

"As the president's principal intelligence adviser, I need to spend a significant amount of time with the president discussing national security interests and intelligence," he said.

"I have always believed that given the nature of my position and the information which we share, it's not appropriate for me to comment publicly on any of that."

In response to further questions, he added that he would reject any effort to politically manipulate intelligence. "Any political shaping of that intelligence would not be appropriate," he said.

Coats, meanwhile, condemned all leaks of classified information, without specifically addressing reports that Trump divulged highly classified information on Islamic State group threats to visiting Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov two weeks ago.

Leaks have "played a very significant negative role relative to our national security," he told the panel.

"The release of information not only undermines confidence in our allies but our ability to maintain secure information that we share with them."

"It jeopardises sources and methods that are invaluable," he added. "Lives are at stake in many instances and leaks jeopardise those."