San Francisco Chronicle

Ex-CIA director to brief Dems

- Lisa Mascaro

WASHINGTON — House Democrats will hear from former CIA Director John Brennan about the situation in Iran, inviting him to speak amid heightened concerns over the Trump administra­tion’s sudden moves in the region.

Brennan, an outspoken critic of President Trump, is scheduled to talk to House Democrats at a private weekly caucus meeting Tuesday, according to a Democratic aide and another person familiar with the private meeting. Both were granted anonymity to discuss the meeting.

The invitation to Brennan and Wendy Sherman, a former State Department official and top negotiator of the Iran nuclear deal, offers counterpro­gramming to the Trump administra­tion’s closed-door briefing for lawmakers also planned for Tuesday on Capitol Hill. Democratic lawmakers are likely to attend both sessions.

The Trump administra­tion recently sent an aircraft carrier and other military resources to the Persian Gulf region, and withdrew nonessenti­al personnel from Iraq, raising alarm among Democrats and some Republican­s on Capitol Hill over the possibilit­y of a confrontat­ion with Iran.

Trump in recent days has downplayed any potential for conflict. But questions remain about what prompted the actions.

Trump and Brennan have clashed openly, particular­ly over the issues surroundin­g the special counsel’s probe of Russian interferen­ce in the 2016 election. Brennan stepped down from the CIA in 2017.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had been asking the administra­tion for a briefing for all lawmakers on the situation in Iran. The administra­tion provided a classified briefing for leaders of both parties last week. Lisa Mascaro is an Associated Press writer.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United States