![](\"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/589e99b5c36188531d8b45b3.jpg\")
<\/a>Edward Snowden \u00a9 Marcos Brindicci\/File Photo \/ Reuters<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n
While there may be little credibility to the latest US media report claiming Moscow will present President Donald Trump with former NSA contractor Edward Snowden, the whistleblower pointed to it as \u201cirrefutable evidence\u201d of his lack of any ties with Russian intelligence.<\/p>\n
\u201cFinally: irrefutable evidence that I never cooperated with Russian intel. No country trades away spies, as the rest would fear they’re next,\u201d<\/em> Snowden wrote on his Twitter. While it was not immediately clear if he was being sarcastic or seriously concerned, the CIA employee-turned-whistleblower accompanied his tweet with several pre-inauguration retweets from January, when the topic of Snowden becoming Vladimir Putin\u2019s gift to Trump was all the rage in US media.<\/p>\n http:\/\/twitter.com\/Snowden\/status\/830200565720346624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw<\/p>\n Speaking to Katie Couric in December, Snowden used a similar argument when asked about his feelings on possible extradition to the US. Admitting that he is concerned for his life and liberty, the whistleblower argued that on the other hand an extradition would be an excellent proof of his independence.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m actually kind of encouraged\u2026 It wasn\u2019t so many years ago that people were saying, \u2018This guy\u2019s a Russian spy.\u2019 But countries don\u2019t give up their spies,\u201d<\/em> the renowned whistleblower told Couric, alleging that as a critic of the Russian government policies he might have turned into a burden for Moscow.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what @snowden<\/a> told me about the possibility of Putin handing him over as a good will gesture to the Trump administration. pic.twitter.com\/LdoxE7cYvA<\/a><\/p>\n — Katie Couric (@katiecouric) February 10, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n