Clinton, Trump in line for intelligence briefings

that “it is not up to the administration and not up to me personally to decide on the suitability of presidential candidates. The American electorate is deciding on the suitability of the next commander in chief.”

But Clapper’s remarks came amid new signs of deep discomfort with Trump among the upper ranks of the intelligence community. In a measure of that growing animosity, one senior intelligence official said Wednesday that he would decline to participate in any session with Trump.

“I would refuse,” the official said, citing not only concern with Trump’s expressions of admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin but seeming disinterest in acquiring a deeper or more nuanced understanding of world events.

“He’s been so uninterested in the truth and so reckless with it when he sees it,” the official said. He and others spoke on the condition of anonymity, citing a desire to speak candidly about domestic political issues that intelligence officials typically refuse to discuss.

Some current and former U.S. intelligence officials have also expressed concern about Clinton, who was recently reprimanded by FBI Director James Comey for her “careless” handling of sensitive material in the emails. But unlike Trump, Clinton has participated in hundreds of intelligence briefings in her career and had access to classified material while working in the White House and the Senate.

Clapper said that the White House in the coming days would contact the Trump and Clinton campaigns, offering “fairly general” overviews on issues including the threat posed by the Islamic State and other terror groups.

Only the winner of the election in November will be given a detailed briefing on the most sensitive U.S. secrets, including clandestine CIA operations and capabilities overseas.