TRUMP REVOKES SECURITY CLEARANCE OF EXCIA DIRECTOR
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday revoked the security clearance of former CIA director John Brennan — one of his most vocal critics — and indicated that others from previous administrations could face the same action.
“As the head of the executive branch and commander-inchief, I have a unique constitutional responsibility to protect the nation’s classified information, including by controlling access to it. I have decided to revoke the security clearance of John Brennan, former director of the Central Intelligence Agency,” Trump said in a statement read out by White House press secretary Sarah Sanders.
Trump said Brennan had displayed “erratic conduct and behaviour”, misled Congress on accessing staffs’ computer and made “a series of unfounded and outrageous allegations — wild outbursts on the Internet and television — about this administration”.
Undeterred by the White House announcement, Brennan tweeted: “This action is part of a broader effort by Mr. Trump to suppress freedom of speech & punish critics. It should gravely worry all Americans, including intelligence professionals, about the cost of speaking out. My principles are worth far more than clearances. I will not relent.”
Earlier, Brennan had called Trump’s performance at his joint news conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin “treasonous” and said that “not only were Trump’s comments imbecilic, he is wholly in the pocket of Putin”.
Others who could face a similar action include former director of national intelligence and country’s top spy James Clapper, former national security adviser Susan rice, former FBI director James Comey and deputy attorney general Sally Yates — all Obama appointees — and Michael Hayden, the CIA director from the Bush administration.
Also on the list are former FBI official Andrew McCave, Peter Strzok and Lisa Page and Bruce Ohr — a serving official. All of them have had some role to play in special counsel Robert Mueller’s ongoing investigation into Russian interference in US polls in 2016 and the Trump campaign’s possible collusion.
WASHINGTON: