An ex-intel boss whose security clearances were recently revoked by Trump has finally spoken out, complaining that the president “misrepresented the facts” (he didn’t).
Ex-CIA Director John Brennan was among 51 intelligence officials who signed a letter stating that the Hunter Biden laptop story had “all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation.”
Trump revoked their security clearances in an executive order that accused the signatories of falsely suggesting that the Laptop story was Russian disinformation.
It also accused the former intelligence officials of engaging in “misleading and inappropriate political coordination with the 2020 Biden presidential campaign.”
Subsequently, the executive order stressed the importance of federal policymakers being able to “rely on analysis conducted by the Intelligence Community and be confident that it is accurate, crafted with professionalism, and free from politically motivated engineering to affect political outcomes.”
Seemingly disappointed by Trump’s decision, Brennan appeared on MSNBC to complain about the revocation of his security clearances.
“He misrepresented the facts … because it said that we had suggested that the Hunter Biden laptop story was Russian disinformation,” Brennan said on MSNBC.
“No, we said it was all the hallmarks of Russian information operations, including the dumping of accurate information, which is what we said in that letter.”
Brennan also took the familiar political route by accusing Trump of persecuting people who openly criticized him in the past. Biden issued numerous preemptive pardons to protect certain individuals, including some of his family members, from potential Trump “retribution.”
“So, again, this was just, you know, his effort to try to get back at those individuals who have criticized him openly and publicly in the past, and I think very legitimately,” he said.
Brennan also disclosed that Trump had threatened to revoke his security clearances in 2018 but retained them so that government agencies could continue to consult with him.
“The only reason why I still had a security clearance … was for the benefit of the government, so that if the CIA or another government agency wanted to call me in to discuss a classified matter, they could do that,” he added.
Back then, he argued that revoking security clearances for “political reasons” was a clear sign of abuse of power and would send a “chilling message.”
“I do believe that Mr. Trump decided to take this action, as he’s done with others, to suppress any criticism of him or his administration … it’s his way of trying to get back at me.”
While Brennan claims the letter was misrepresented, it was clearly intended to undermine the credibility of the Laptop story, giving Biden the ammo to counter questions regarding his son’s conduct.
He cited the letter during the second presidential debate and continued to push the “Russian disinformation” narrative in subsequent encounters with the press.
“There are 50 former national intelligence folks who said that what he’s accusing me of is part of a Russian plan,” Biden said during the presidential debate.
Besides Brennan, other former intelligence chiefs stripped of their security clearances included former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, former CIA director Michael Hayden, former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, and former National Security Advisor John Bolton.
Clapper had also previously accused Politico of deliberately distorting the contents of the letter after publishing a sensational story that suggested the ex-intel officials had confirmed the Hunter laptop story was Russian disinformation.
“All we were doing was raising a yellow flag that this could be Russian disinformation,” Clapper said.
Brennan’s involvement with the letter alleging Russian disinformation is hardly coincidental. In early 2024, he claimed that Russians perceived GOP lawmakers as a tool for disinformation.
“I think that my colleagues are concerned that the Russians see the Republican lawmakers as tools. They are so willing to accept anything, and Russians use information operations very effectively.”
If all they were doing was to raise a flag as to misinformation, apparently, and factually, their reasoning was flawed (and most seem to stick by it). Its use was to discredit trump. Based on that, I can see why President Trump has no need for their input on matters of security, therefore, they don’t need that high level of a clearance.
None of the 51 any longer NEED a security clearance as they have zero “Need to know.”
Brennan is beyond a Deep State actor. He is a communist and voted in the 1970’s for Gus Hall, the Communist Party USA candidate for President. Others in the intel community have said the damage he has done over the years is tremendous and that it would ONLY benefit our adversaries. Glad he was dumped and will have to get real day job. His Brennan Center is a mask for the democrat party leftist ideology too. Adios Comrade.
Well two questions, Who asked you to sign off on the letter. And for what purpose.
The answer is, Biden’s team and to give Biden a talking point. All of these so called Intel analysts knew the purpose and did so with only one thing in mind, to muddy the waters and deceive the public.
He should be grateful he’s not in jail yet. Get over it, dude.
Oh no, they broke his rice bowl.