Former CIA Director John Brennan fired back at President Donald Trump on Wednesday after the White House revoked his security clearance. He told MSNBC’s Nicole Wallace that he believed Trump was trying “to intimidate and suppress any criticism of him or his administration.”
Brennan tweeted his initial response to the president’s decision, saying that Trump was attempting to “suppress freedom of speech & punish critics.”
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
In recent weeks, a number of people raised questions regarding Brennan and the fact that he still had a security clearance – among them, Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul, who had been wary of Brennan from the start and famously filibustered his confirmation. Former Secret Service Agent Dan Bongino and Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani had also named Brennan as the reason the unsubstantiated dossier ever gained traction at the Justice Department.
Brennan concluded the segment Wednesday by telling Wallace that he would not be deterred. He explained, “I do believe that Mr. Trump decided to take this action, as he’s done with others, to try to intimidate and suppress any criticism of him or his administration. And revoking my security clearances is his way of trying to get back at me. But I think I have tried to voice the concerns of millions of Americans about Mr. Trump’s failures in terms of fulfilling the responsibilities of that sacred and solemn office of the presidency.”
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