CLOSE


Former CIA Chief John Brennan, the day after having his security clearance revoked by President Trump, penning an op-ed in the New York Times, titled, “President Trump’s Claims of No Collusion Are Hogwash.” Veuer’s Nick Cardona has the details.
Buzz60

Retired Navy admiral William McRaven, who oversaw the Navy SEAL operation that resulted in al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden’s death, penned a short but scathing letter to President Donald Trump asking that his security clearance be revoked after the commander-in-chief revoked former CIA director John Brennan’s clearance.

“I would consider it an honor if you would revoke my security clearance as well, so I can add my name to the list of men and women who have spoken up against your presidency,” McRaven wrote in the letter published Thursday by The Washington Post.

McRaven, who was commander of the U.S. Joint Special Operations Command from 2011 to 2014 under former President Barack Obama, praised Brennan and called him “one of the finest public servants” with “unparalleled integrity.”

The former Navy admiral bashed Trump’s leadership and said that Trump used “McCarthy-era tactics” against his critics. 

“Through your actions, you have embarrassed us in the eyes of our children, humiliated us on the world stage and, worst of all, divided us as a nation,” McRaven wrote. 

McRaven’s letter joined a chorus of detractors who have condemned Trump’s decision Wednesday to revoke Brennan’s security clearance. 

More: Donald Trump revokes former CIA director John Brennan’s security clearance

More: John Brennan: Donald Trump’s denial of Russian collusion is ‘hogwash’

House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., called it “a stunning abuse of power” while U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff of California, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said Trump again demonstrated “how deeply insecure and vindictive he is – two character flaws dangerous in any President.”

“This has zero to do with national security,” tweeted Michael Bromwich, an attorney for former deputy FBI director Andrew McCabe, whose security clearance is under review. 

Brennan himself bashed the move and called it part of a broader effort by Trump to “suppress freedom of speech” and “punish critics.”

In a New York Times op-ed published Thursday, Brennan said Trump revoked his security clearance to try to silence him for speaking out against Trump’s friendliness with Russians who influenced the 2016 election.

“Mr. Trump’s claims of no collusion are, in a word, hogwash,” Brennan wrote.

In a statement read Wednesday by White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders, Trump said that Brennan has used his status “to make a series of unfounded and outrageous allegations” and “wild outbursts on the Internet and television about this administration.”

Contributing: David Jackson. Follow Ryan Miller on Twitter @RyanW_Miller

 

Read or Share this story: https://usat.ly/2OG9e24