Ex-CIA Chief: Donald Trump Pulling Security Clearance Is Dangerous Act Of “Foreign Tyrants And Despots” – Update
UPDATED with John Brennan’s MSNBC interview: “I’ve seen this type of behavior and actions on the part of foreign tyrants and despots and autocrats for many, many years during my CIA and national security career,” former CIA director John Brennan told MSNBC’s Nicolle Wallace on Wednesday after President Donald Trump pulled his security clearance. The move came the day after Brennan chastised Trump on Twitter for having called his former White House liaison office communications director a “dog.”
“I never ever thought I would see it here in the United States.”
Trump is sending a message to others who currently hold security clearances within the government, that they had better not say anything critical of POTUS or with which he disagrees, Brennan said in the phone interview.
All Americans need to take stock of “what is happening right now in our government and how abnormal and irresponsible and dangerous these actions are,” he said.
Before talking to MSNBC, Brennan tweeted his response to Trump’s announcement he was pulling his security clearance, and mulling doing same to many more Trump critics.
“This action is part of a broader effort by Mr. Trump to suppress freedom of speech & punish critics,” Brennan charged in his chilling tweet.
“It should gravely worry all Americans, including intelligence professionals, about the cost of speaking out. My principles are worth far more than clearances,” he added.
Trump’s stunning announcement, in which he also threatened to pull security clearances of other critics, comes the day after Brennan blasted Trump’s tweet calling former White House liaison director Omarosa Manigault Newman a “dog.”
“It’s astounding how often you fail to live up to minimum standards of decency, civility, & probity,” Brennan said yesterday in a tweet.
“Seems like you will never understand what it means to be president, nor what it takes to be a good, decent, & honest person. So disheartening, so dangerous for our Nation.”
Appearing last night on MSNBC, Brennan elaborated, saying Trump has “badly sullied the reputation of the office of the presidency with his invective.” Calling Trump the most divisive president in history, Brennan added, “he is feeding and fueling hatred and animosity and misunderstandings among Americans.”
Brennan’s afternoon tweet in response to having his security clearance pulled by POTUS:
This action is part of a broader effort by Mr. Trump to suppress freedom of speech & punish critics. It should gravely worry all Americans, including intelligence professionals, about the cost of speaking out. My principles are worth far more than clearances. I will not relent. https://t.co/TNzOxhP9ux
— John O. Brennan (@JohnBrennan) August 15, 2018
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