CIA chief warns Trump on Russia

Spontaneity is not something that protects national security interests, Brennan says

Outgoing Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director John Brennan yesterday issued a stern parting rebuke to President-elect Donald Trump on the week he assumes the US presidency, warning him against absolving Russia for recent actions and to watch what he says.

“Spontaneity is not something that protects national security interests and so, therefore, when he speaks or when he reacts, just make sure he understands that the implications and impact on the United States could be profound,” Brennan said on Fox News Sunday. “It’s more than just about Mr. Trump. It’s about the United States of America.”

Meanwhile, with just a week to go, details of Donald Trump’s inauguration are finally starting to fall into place: The Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC) says that it has raised a record $90 million (Dh330 million), it expects more than 30,000 people to attend the three official inaugural balls, and it has landed country star Toby Keith and ‘90s rock band 3 Doors Down to headline the pre-inaugural concert on the Mall.

“I’m feeling excitement, but it’s a nervous excitement,” said chief executive Sara Armstrong in an interview at PIC headquarters in downtown Washington. “There are a lot of logistical items that we have to pull together during these last eight days.”

Armstrong, 44, ran this year’s GOP convention and spent a year living in Cleveland to pull it off. For the inauguration, she had 10 weeks. She was hired two days after the election; the convention gave her experience in running what she calls a “national special security event” — how to work with security, the city and other official entities.

Cash concerns

The PIC has already cleared its biggest hurdle: raising enough money to pay for the three-day celebration. Armstrong said that donors have given more than $90 million, and “it’s still going up”.

Now the challenge is to execute the president-elect’s vision for the festivities. Despite media reports of a lack of interest from celebrities and fewer attendees for the ceremonies, Armstrong said that everything is coming together as hoped, and all the official events are full.

She said that Trump has been very involved in the planning and “wants to carry on his theme that resonated with Americans around the country: ‘Make America Great Again.’

“We want it to be about America, about the people.”