President Trump blasted former CIA Director John Brennan Saturday as “easily the worst” spy chief in U.S. history, and said he’s become a “political hack” since leaving government service.
Days after revoking Mr. Brennan’s security clearance, Mr. Trump said of his prominent critic, “Has anyone looked at the mistakes that John Brennan made while serving as CIA Director?”
“He will go down as easily the WORST in history & since getting out, he has become nothing less than a loudmouth, partisan, political hack who cannot be trusted with the secrets to our country!” Mr. Trump tweeted.
Mr. Brennan oversaw the CIA’s investigation into possible Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. The CIA and other intelligence agencies concluded that Russia tried to influence the election with the goal of undermining Hillary Clinton’s candidacy.
He also has been criticized for his role in the CIA’s “enhanced interrogation” techniques with terrorism suspects, including waterboarding, although Mr. Trump has previously voiced support for waterboarding.
When the president announced Wednesday he was revoking Mr. Brennan’s access to classified information, he called the former spy chief “erratic’ and accused him of “lying” about the administration.
Mr. Brennan criticized Mr. Trump on Friday for revoking his security clearance and said the president is “drunk on power.”
“The fact that he’s using a security clearance of a former CIA director as a pawn in his public relations strategy I think is just so reflective of somebody who, quite frankly, I don’t want to use this term maybe, but he’s drunk on power,” he said on MSNBC. “He really is, and I think he’s abusing the powers of that office.”
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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