Labor coy on reports Trump administration has limited 'Five Eyes' intel sharing
The Trump administration has labelled the reports, published by multiple outlets, as 'completely false'.
Credible reports suggesting the Trump administration has suspended vital intelligence sharing with its 'Five Eyes' allies have sparked nervousness inside the Labor government at a delicate moment for the relationship between Canberra and Washington.
As Defence Minister Richard Marles landed in Washington this week to meet with his US counterpart Pete Hegseth and Vice-President JD Vance, CBS News and POLITICO both reported that US Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard had blocked the sharing of intelligence on Ukraine-Russia peace negotiations with the Five Eyes, the intelligence sharing alliance that includes Australia.
Gabbard’s spokesperson has described the report as “completely false” and insisted intelligence sharing had “never been closer”.
But while Marles' office and Foreign Minister Penny Wong have both declined to comment directly on the reports, two senior Labor sources granted anonymity to discuss the confidential matter conceded they were concerning for the government.
