Former CIA Director John Brennan blasted President Trump, whom he described as “drunk on power,” in an interview Friday following the White House’s Wednesday announcement his security clearance was revoked.
“I think right now this country is in a crisis in terms of what Mr. Trump has done and is liable to do. Are the Republicans on the Hill who have given him a pass, are they going to wait for a disaster to happen before they actually find their backbones and spines to speak up against somebody who clearly, clearly is not carrying out his responsibilities with any sense of purpose and common sense from the stand point of a national security?” he said In the nearly hourlong MSNBC interview with Rachel Maddow.
[More: 60 former CIA officials sign letter condemning Trump’s treatment of Brennan]
Brennan, a frequent critic of the president, described losing his clearance as “an egregious act that it flies in the face of traditional practice, as well as common sense, as well as national security.”
Brennan said he learned he was losing his security clearance while White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders was announcing it from the podium. “I did not expect any adherence to process, and any adherence to the steps and measures and regulations that exist by order,” he said. “Just because he has the authority to do these things that he has, in fact, to do it irrespective of what is truly the appropriate thing to do.”
Republican reaction to the move by the White House, based on what Sanders described as Brennan’s “erratic behavior,” was mixed, though some, including Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., praised the action.
Brennan said it was another example of Trump “trying to frighten and intimidate others.” Those in the national security and intelligence community, he said, are not the type of people “who are bullied or intimidated by the likes of someone of Mr. Trump.”
Many former CIA officials have come forward following the Wednesday announcement to criticize what a joint letter, signed by 60 such former officials, described as tantamount to a “political litmus test.”
Trump said Friday that he may revoke the clearance of former deputy attorney general and current Justice Department official Bruce Ohr, whose wife Nellie worked for the opposition research firm that commissioned what is now known as the Steele dossier.
Brennan also warned that if Trump decides to pull the security clearances of other officials, it could have a major effect on ongoing investigations into Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election led by special counsel Robert Mueller.
“If he decides to yank the clearances tomorrow of the investigators working on this special counsel’s effort, they’re not going to have access to classified information they need to do their jobs. So, again, how desperate is he going to get? And do the Republicans really want to have to clean up after a disaster or do they want to stop this before it becomes disastrous?” he said.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
