Fox News Channel’s Bret Baier says his sources are worried that an “intelligence industrial complex” in the nation’s capital may be trying to “disqualify” President Trump.
The resignation of National Security Adviser Michael Flynn from the White House late Monday prompted Mr. Trump to decry a spate of leaks. White House spokesman Sean Spicer echoed his boss’ message at a press briefing, which the “Special Report” host said was valid.
“I think there’s a point there, and there are a number of different people on Capitol Hill and in the administration who I’ve talked about who are concerned that there is, in fact, this intelligence industrial complex that is trying to take out Donald Trump, or somehow discredit him, or get under and disqualify him or some of his officials that are working for him,” Mr. Baier said, Mediaite reported. “It’s a real issue, and it is something that Sean Spicer got to right there in that answer.”
Mr. Spicer said that Mr. Trump should not have to worry about intelligence officials leaking information to the press every time he makes “key decisions” with world leaders over the phone.
“You’re dealing with — you’ve got North Korea with the missiles. That’s stepping up,” Mr. Baier said in terms of offering broader context of the problem. “You have a Russian spy ship that is off the coast of the U.S., East Coast, that is capable of intercepting communications. That is the first time that has happened under President Trump. The last we saw one was back in 2015. You have all kinds of destabilizing factors around the world, so this is an important time for the U.S.”
The network reported early Tuesday that officials spotted the Russian spy ship SSV-175 Viktor Leonov roughly 70 miles off the coast of Delaware.
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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