Former CIA Director John Brennan and former DNI James Clapper blasted President Trump on Friday night for directing Attorney General William Barr to declassify documents related to the surveillance of his campaign during the 2016 election, calling it “outrageous.”
“I see it as a very, very serious and outrageous move on the part of Mr. Trump, once again, trampling on the statutory authorities of the Director of National Intelligence and the heads of the independent intelligence agencies,” Brennan told MSNBC host Chris Hayes. “And it’s unclear to me what Mr. Barr is actually going to do. Is he investigating a crime? Well, what’s the predication of that crime? Or he is just going to be looking for information… that Mr. Trump can just give to his defenders on the right and cherry-pick information that could be taken out of context?”
TRUMP VOWS TO UNCOVER RUSSIA PROBE ROOTS WITH DECLASSIFICATION CALL: ‘WE’RE EXPOSING EVERYTHING’
Brennan expressed concern about exposing “sources and methods” as well as the intelligence of “partners abroad.”
“This is very serious and I know that my former colleagues in the intelligence agencies are looking upon this with great concern and worry,” the former top Obama official stated.
He later said he hopes that DNI Dan Coats and CIA Director Gina Haspel will “stand up” to President Trump’s “unprecedented act.” – READ MORE