Wyoming Republican Rep. Liz Cheney spoke out Sunday against a pardon for whistleblower Edward Snowden after President Donald Trump floated the idea at a news conference Saturday.
“Edward Snowden is a traitor. He is responsible for the largest and most damaging release of classified info in US history. He handed over US secrets to Russian and Chinese intelligence putting our troops and our nation at risk,” Cheney said in a tweet. “Pardoning him would be unconscionable.”
Trump brought up pardoning the former NSA contractor during a press conference at his New Jersey golf club Saturday. Snowden, who was charged with espionage in 2013 for leaking classified information on U.S. surveillance under the Obama administration, is currently in Russia. (RELATED: Trump Looking ‘Very Strongly’ At Pardon For Edward Snowden)
Edward Snowden is a traitor.
He is responsible for the largest and most damaging release of classified info in US history.
He handed over US secrets to Russian and Chinese intelligence putting our troops and our nation at risk.
Pardoning him would be unconscionable.
— Liz Cheney (@Liz_Cheney) August 16, 2020
“I’ve seen people that are very conservative and very liberal and they agree. They agree both ways,” Trump said while discussing pardoning Snowden. “I’m going to take a look at that very strongly, Edward Snowden.” (RELATED: Iran Paid Taliban Fighters To Attack US Assets In Afghanistan, Leading To Trump Ordering Killing Of Soleimani)
He added, “Snowden is one of the people they talk about. They talk about numerous people, but he is certainly one of the people that they do talk about. I guess the DOJ is looking to extradite him right now? … It’s certainly something I could look at. Many people are on his side, I will say that. I don’t know him, never met him. But many people are on his side.”
While President Barack Obama was in office, Trump said Snowden was a “traitor” and implied he should be killed during an interview in 2013 on Fox & Friends.