Intelligence Community Attacks: CIA Briefings Undermined, Officials Publicly Attacked
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Trump's attacks on the intelligence community followed a pattern: dispute assessments that reflected poorly on him or contradicted foreign governments he was cultivating, attack the officials who provided them, reward officials who shaped assessments to his preferences, and revoke credentials of critics. He disputed the CIA's assessments of Saudi Crown Prince MBS's role in the Khashoggi murder, Russian interference in the 2016 election, North Korean nuclear progress, and Iranian nuclear program compliance. He revoked the security clearances of six former senior officials — all critics — and installed loyalists in acting DNI and other positions.
Overview
Trump's first full day in office, he stood in front of the CIA Memorial Wall — where the stars commemorating killed officers are carved — and talked about his crowd sizes.
CIA veterans described it as one of the most inappropriate things they had witnessed in that building. The pattern held for four years.
The Memorial Wall Speech
The Memorial Wall at CIA headquarters is a solemn memorial. Officials visiting the building are expected to acknowledge it appropriately. Trump's first-day speech in front of the wall was almost entirely about the media's coverage of his inauguration crowd sizes.
Former CIA Director Brennan, watching on television, called it an "outrageous display of self-aggrandizement."
Helsinki
At the July 2018 Helsinki summit, Trump was asked directly whether he believed the U.S. intelligence community's assessment that Russia had interfered in the 2016 election. He said he had no reason to believe it. Putin was standing next to him.
The U.S. intelligence community's assessment had been made with "high confidence" by all 17 agencies. Trump publicly contradicted it to align with the foreign leader the assessment was about.
The Clearance Revocations
Former CIA Director Brennan's security clearance was revoked after he criticized Trump. Eight other former officials were threatened. Former DNI James Clapper, former FBI Director Comey, former CIA Director Hayden, former National Security Advisor Susan Rice — all critics, all threatened.
Brennan had served as CIA Director and Deputy National Security Advisor; his clearance allowed him to provide classified briefings to clients and consulting work. Revoking it was punishment for speaking.
Timeline
Sequence of events
January 21, 2017
Trump CIA speech in front of Memorial Wall — crowd sizes
On his first full day in office, Trump visits CIA headquarters and delivers a speech in front of the Memorial Wall primarily about his crowd sizes and media coverage. CIA veterans describe it as deeply inappropriate.
July 5, 2017
Trump disputes intelligence community Russia finding
At G20 summit, Trump publicly questions whether Russia interfered in the 2016 election, despite the intelligence community's unanimous 'high confidence' assessment.
July 16, 2018
Trump sides with Putin over CIA at Helsinki
At the Helsinki summit, Trump publicly states he has no reason to believe Russia interfered in the election, siding with Putin over his own intelligence agencies' unanimous assessment.
August 15, 2018
Trump revokes Brennan's security clearance
Trump revokes former CIA Director Brennan's security clearance, citing 'erratic behavior.' Brennan had been a vocal critic. Eight other former officials are threatened with similar revocations.
February 20, 2020
Grenell installed as acting DNI — no intelligence background
Richard Grenell, a political operative with no intelligence background, is installed as acting Director of National Intelligence, becoming the first person without intelligence experience to hold the position.
Sources
- ↑ Trump Revokes Ex-CIA Director John Brennan's Security Clearance — The New York Times
- ↑ Trump's systematic attacks on the intelligence community — The Washington Post
- ↑ A timeline of Trump's conflicts with the intelligence community — The Associated Press
Verification