NBC: Moscow considers turning over Snowdon as “gift’ to Trump

US intelligence has collected information that Russia is considering turning over Edward Snowden as a "gift" to President Donald Trump — who has called the NSA leaker a "spy" and a "traitor" who deserves to be executed. According to a senior U.S. official, Snowden’s handover is one of various ploys to "curry favor" with Trump. No official in Washington or Moscow has confirmed this report.

Snowden responded on Twitter: "Finally: irrefutable evidence that I never cooperated with Russian intel, No country trades away spies, as the rest would fear they're next."

Snowdon, who lives in political asylum in Russia, faces federal charges that carry a minimum of 30 years in prison. Employed as a contractor by a National Security Agency in Hawaii, he began stealing top-secret documents that he gave to journalists in 2013, exposing details of US domestic surveillance programs. His case divided opinion in America between those who hailed him as a whistleblower and called for his pardon, while others condemned him as a traitor.