Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper told CNN's "New Day" on Monday it is "absolutely the right decision" to withhold intelligence from former President Donald Trump.
"I think he’s demonstrated a disdain for both the substance of intelligence as well as its protection," Clapper said, adding, "he's used it on occasion, weaponized it against political opponents.
"He's exposed it," he continued, "in the Oval Office with the Russians" and "to taunt the Iranians about a mishap they had in their space or rocket program."
Clapper also stressed there are potential financial entanglements due to his debt, "which to a normal person would be a real red flag for an adjudicator – somebody deciding on whether someone should have access to classified information."
Trump has also shown he is "not very mindful" of the "heavy responsibility to protect classified information," Clapped claimed, "[because some] of the information that is derived and presented in intelligence briefings is collected by people who are risking their lives to acquire it."
Clapper was asked about the subject following President Joe Biden's interview with CBS News over the weekend in which he said he did not think Trump should continue receiving intelligence briefings due to his erratic behavior.
Biden added, "What value is giving him an intelligence briefing? What impact does he have at all, other than the fact he might slip and say something?"
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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