Trump is 'exploring' revoking the security clearances of 6 top former intelligence officials who are critical of Trump
- White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Monday said President Donald Trump is considering revoking the security clearances of six former top officials over "baseless allegations" they've made about the president.
- Trump seems to take particular issue with former CIA Director John Brennan, who recently described Trump's behavior during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin as "treasonous."
- Former top officials typically retain security clearances in the event they need to be consulted on various matters and look back at old files or information.
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Monday said President Donald Trump is considering revoking the security clearances of six former top officials over "baseless allegations" they've made about the president.
The officials are former CIA and NSA director Gen. Michael Hayden, former FBI Director James Comey, former CIA Director John Brennan, former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, former US ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice, and former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe.
Former top officials like Brennan and Comey typically retain security clearances in the event they need to be consulted on various matters and look back at old files or information.
The White House said Trump is concerned with the way in which these people are allegedly "politicizing" various government agencies, while rejecting the notion the president has done the same with tweets attacking the FBI, among other statements and actions.
Particularly, the president seems perturbed by recent comments from Brennan regarding Trump's recent meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, Finland.
After Trump appeared to side with Putin over the US intelligence community during a joint press conference with the Russian leader last Monday, the former CIA director tweeted that the president's actions were "treasonous."
Since returning to the US, Trump has walked back what he said during the press conference, claiming he misspoke and that he agrees with the US intelligence community's assessment regarding Russian election interference.
On Sunday, however, Trump suggested that Russian election interference is "all a big hoax." Sanders on Monday claimed Trump was referring to the allegations that his campaign colluded with the Kremlin.
Trump's tweet said, "So President Obama knew about Russia before the Election. Why didn't he do something about it? Why didn't he tell our campaign? Because it is all a big hoax, that's why, and he thought Crooked Hillary was going to win!!!"