WikiLeaks came up during the testimony of James Clapper and Sally Yates Monday, and Clapper denounced the site as Russian propaganda and not legitimate journalism.
Republican Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse asked the former Director of National Intelligence if he stood by statements by the intelligence community that Wikileaks is a “known propaganda platform for Russia.”
“Absolutely,” he responded, and went on to classify the site as a “non-nation state intelligence service.”
Sasse continued his line of questioning by asking if Wikileaks founder Julian Assange could be considered a journalist, because to some people “[Wikileaks] sounds like it’s just information.”
“It’s useful for the American people to hear you explain why is Assange something other than just an American journalist asking hard questions,” the senator stated.
Clapper explained that he doesn’t find Wikileaks to be legitimate journalism because it crosses a “red line” that puts American security at risk.
“When a journalist does harm to the country, harms our national security, compromises sensitive sources and methods and tradecraft…that’s a red line…that I think he is unacceptable,” Clapper concluded.