Some U.S. allies are contemplating a reduction in the intelligence shared with Washington, driven by the Trump administration’s conciliatory stance toward Russia, according to four sources familiar with the discussions who spoke to NBC News.
The allies are considering this step due to worries about protecting overseas assets whose identities might unintentionally be disclosed, as indicated by the sources, one of whom is a foreign official.
Intelligence agencies regard their commitments to foreign agents as inviolable, committed to ensuring their safety and protecting their identities. Any breach of that commitment would undermine trust, former officials cautioned, potentially prompting some intelligence services to withhold information from Washington.
Allies, including Israel, Saudi Arabia, and participants of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance, are evaluating ways to possibly update current information-sharing protocols to account for the Trump administration’s improved relations with Russia, sources explained.
“These discussions are already underway,” noted a source privy to the talks.
However, the sources emphasized that no decisions or actions have been taken so far.
This review is part of a broader reassessment among numerous U.S. allies regarding their overall relationships with Washington, which encompasses diplomacy, trade, military collaboration, and intelligence issues, as per the sources.
Historic Implications
While it remains uncertain how U.S. policy toward Russia is evolving, allies are considering the possible ramifications of what could become a historic shift, a Western official stated.
In response to inquiries about allies potentially limiting their information sharing with the U.S., a spokesperson for the White House National Security Council stated that President Donald Trump is “clear-eyed” about America’s adversaries.
“The U.S. possesses unmatched intelligence capabilities, which is precisely why intelligence-sharing initiatives like the Five Eyes exist,” spokesperson Brian Hughes stated in an email.
“President Trump is fully aware of all threats posed by our adversaries to our national security and is ready to collaborate with any ally or partner who comprehends the perilous world brought forth by the disastrous Biden years,” he added. “During Biden’s administration, we witnessed the conflict in Ukraine, the withdrawal in Afghanistan, and the massacre of innocents on October 7th.”
Administration officials and certain Republican legislators have defended Trump’s dealings with Russia as a strategy aimed at bringing Moscow to the negotiating table to achieve a peace agreement that would resolve an ongoing conflict in Europe. However, distrust towards Russian President Vladimir Putin, a former KGB operative, persists among U.S. allies.
Publicly, long-standing U.S. allies have downplayed concerns. The United Kingdom, the most significant U.S. intelligence partner, asserted that it has no intentions to reduce intelligence collaboration with the United States.
“The U.S. is the UK’s closest ally, and we will persist in cooperating closely on defense, intelligence, and security issues,” a British government spokesperson stated via email. “Any suggestion to the contrary is completely false.”
The Canadian Security Intelligence Service affirmed in a statement that its relationships with multiple U.S. agencies are “long-standing and resilient.”
It also stated, “Canada greatly values its partnership with the United States, believing that it is in the strategic interest of both countries to maintain our robust national security cooperation.”
An Israeli official praised the alliance with the U.S., asserting that “Cooperation between Israel and the United States on every level, including the sharing of crucial intelligence data, is as strong and solid as ever.”
Officials from New Zealand, Australia, and Saudi Arabia did not respond to requests for comments.
Some officials in allied nations, who spoke under the condition of anonymity to address sensitive intelligence topics, downplayed the likelihood that Trump’s policies on Russia would disrupt decades-long information sharing. They emphasized that intelligence can be shared in ways that maintain the protection of sources and methods.
However, some former U.S. intelligence officers express concern that the Trump administration may choose to curtail intelligence collection targeted at Russia, as the U.S. might no longer regard Russia as a primary threat.
The administration has indicated a possible shift towards prioritizing efforts to combat drug cartels in Mexico and other regions. Already, the Defense Department has allocated additional resources to the southern border, including a team of analysts, and the CIA has initiated drone surveillance missions over Mexico as part of this effort.
Trump’s recent decision to pause intelligence support to Ukraine, alongside military assistance, has further intensified apprehension among allies. The intelligence collaboration with Kyiv, which evolved following Russia’s initial invasion in 2014, has been beneficial for both Washington and Kyiv, with Ukraine providing substantial insights regarding Russia.
When considering the potential reduction of intelligence sharing, the Five Eyes allies — the U.K., Australia, Canada, and New Zealand — as well as other U.S. partners would need to assess the risks to their own national security if ties with Washington were to diminish.
Cybersecurity Concerns
The recent actions taken by the Trump administration in the realm of cybersecurity have also raised alarms about the administration’s approach to Moscow.
Last month, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered U.S. Cyber Command to cease offensive cyber operations and information campaigns against Russia, as NBC News reported. The duration of this order remains unclear.
Moreover, in a recent address at a U.N. working group on cybersecurity, a senior State Department official, Liesyl Franz, did not reference Russia as a principal cyber threat, mentioning only China and Iran.
For years, including during Trump’s initial term, both Republican and Democratic administrations have characterized Russia as one of the most sophisticated and perilous threats to American cybersecurity.
With Trump and his administration echoing some of Russia’s narratives regarding the conflict in Ukraine and indicating intentions to strengthen U.S. ties with Moscow, former intelligence officials worry the administration might even share sensitive information with Russia.
Numerous former U.S. intelligence officers conveyed that they and their current government colleagues are profoundly concerned about the potential implications of the administration’s shift toward Russia, where Moscow may no longer be regarded as a foe.
“There’s considerable worry,” remarked a former intelligence official.
Formidable Alliance
The Five Eyes alliance is arguably the most formidable intelligence-sharing coalition globally. The deep-rooted collaboration among its members dates back to the 1940s, and officials credit it with aiding in countering Soviet threats during the Cold War and thwarting terrorist plots in recent years.
The sharing of satellite imagery and eavesdropping intelligence among alliance members is extensive, highly integrated, and “almost automatic,” noted a former intelligence official.
Dismantling the technical aspects of this collaborative effort would be intricate and challenging, according to former officials. A more plausible outcome might involve allied governments withholding certain intelligence derived from human sources or analyses that could potentially cause friction with the White House, several ex-intelligence officials indicated.
Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., a member of both the House Intelligence and Armed Services committees, expressed deep concern regarding the Trump administration’s “rapid pivot towards the Kremlin” and media reports indicating U.S. Cyber Command’s intention to reduce cyber operations against Russia.
“Russia is an adversary and, as always, seeking opportunities to create discord and trouble for Americans and the government; therefore, any stand-down or reduction of our operations could be disastrous,” Crow stated in an interview.
The administration’s cybersecurity actions have incited speculation that Washington and Moscow may have reached an informal arrangement to de-escalate aggressive digital operations to alleviate tensions and pave the way for enhanced diplomacy.
It’s plausible that the Trump administration and Russia have established some form of “cyber détente,” according to Emily Harding, a former intelligence official. However, Harding and other ex-intelligence officers warned that historically, the Kremlin has proven to be an untrustworthy partner when the U.S. has attempted limited cooperation.
“That sounds good in theory,” remarked Harding, who directs the Intelligence, National Security, and Technology Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. “Yet, the next question is whether one can genuinely trust Russia to adhere to it.”
A Hub for Cybercriminals
A significant obstacle to any potential cyber détente with Moscow is Russia’s role as a haven for cybercriminals targeting Americans. Russia does not extradite its citizens and has consistently refused to cooperate with U.S. law enforcement agencies when hackers targeting American entities are identified.
Of particular concern is the ransomware phenomenon, wherein hackers, often Russian-speaking criminal organizations, use malicious software to lock computer networks and demand payment.
Notable attacks on the U.S. public sector linked to Russia have increased each year up to 2024, as per a survey conducted by the cybersecurity firm Emsisoft.
According to a report published in October by the cybersecurity insurance company Coalition, ransomware attacks globally cost companies an average of $353,000 last year. There have been instances where ransomware groups have suggested connections to Russian intelligence.
Philip Reiner, CEO of the Institute for Security and Technology, a San Francisco think tank focusing on cybersecurity policy, told NBC News that any new agreement with Russia must compel the Kremlin to control its cybercriminals targeting Americans, who seldom face consequences in Russia.
“Any engagement the Trump administration pursues to normalize relations regarding cyber must address the economic terrorism Russia perpetuates through ransomware gangs,” Reiner asserted. “That must play a key role in any comprehensive negotiation.”
Previous U.S. presidents from both parties have attempted to “reset” relations with Russia and explored potential intelligence-sharing agreements concerning mutual threats. Following the September 11, 2001 attacks, President George W. Bush directed U.S. intelligence agencies to explore collaboration with Russia on counter-terrorism efforts. However, that endeavor “went nowhere quickly,” according to a former intelligence officer.
The Russians displayed little interest in exchanging sensitive information regarding terrorist groups, former officials noted.
In a 2020 op-ed in The Washington Post, former CIA officer John Sipher, along with other former colleagues, recounted how efforts to enhance cooperation with Moscow’s intelligence services repeatedly fell short.
“Inside the CIA, we often joked that, to Putin, win-win means I beat you twice,” they wrote. “Good intentions from the U.S. side have consistently proven futile in improving relations.”
