President Trump officially revoked former CIA Director John Brennan’s security clearance Wednesday, ending days of speculation after the White House announced it was considering terminating the credentials of former Obama staffers.
According to Politico, the Trump administration announced the decision Wednesday afternoon, saying there was simply “no justification” for Brennan to retain access to classified information and top secret material.
“Historically, former heads of intelligence and law enforcement agencies have been allowed to retain access to classified information after their government service so that they can consult with their successors regarding matters about which they may have special insights and as a professional courtesy,” said White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders. “Neither of these justifications supports Mr. Brennan’s continued access to classified information.”
More information as it develops…
BRENNAN GOES OFF: Vows to Criticize Trump 'Until Integrity Returns to the White House'
Former CIA director John Brennan tears into President Trump in a new op-ed for the Washington Post, vowing to continue speaking out against the president “until integrity returns to the White House.”
Brennan, who served as director of the agency under former President Obama, is a frequent Trump critic. Most recently, he referred to Trump’s decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear agreement as “madness.”
“The esteem with which I held the presidency was dealt a serious blow when Donald Trump took office…”
“The esteem with which I held the presidency was dealt a serious blow when Donald Trump took office,” Brennan writes. “Almost immediately, I began to see a startling aberration from the remarkable, though human, presidents I had served.”
Brennan rips Trump for bringing a “lifelong preoccupation with aggrandizing himself” to the White House and expresses concern that “his mean-spirited and malicious behavior” will be copied by future generations.
“[He] has shown highly abnormal behavior by lying routinely to the American people without compunction, intentionally fueling divisions in our country and actively working to degrade the imperfect but critical institutions that serve us,” Brennan writes of Trump.
Source: Politico
RAND’S STAND: Paul Asks Trump to ‘REVOKE’ John Brennan’s Security Clearance
Senator Rand Paul took his war with former CIA Director John Brennan to the next level this week, saying he will soon ask President Trump to “revoke” his security clearance after he accused the Commander-in-Chief of “treason.”
Paul posted his intentions on social media Monday morning, saying “Today I will meet with the President and I will ask him to revoke John Brennan’s security clearance.”
Today I will meet with the President and I will ask him to revoke John Brennan’s security clearance!
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) July 23, 2018
The Senator’s comments come just days after Brennan unloaded on President Trump over his historic Helsinki Summit, saying his press conference “exceeds the threshold of ‘high crimes and misdemeanors’” against the American people.
Donald Trump’s press conference performance in Helsinki rises to & exceeds the threshold of “high crimes & misdemeanors.” It was nothing short of treasonous. Not only were Trump’s comments imbecilic, he is wholly in the pocket of Putin. Republican Patriots: Where are you???
— John O. Brennan (@JohnBrennan) July 16, 2018