Former CIA Director John Brennan accused President Donald Trump of distorting the facts regarding the Hunter Biden laptop story after Trump revoked his security clearance on Tuesday.
Trump also revoked the security clearances of 51 former intelligence officials who had signed a letter in 2020 suggesting that the release of emails from the laptop resembled a Russian information operation. Many of these officials openly supported Joe Biden during his presidential campaign against Trump.
The letter signatories clarified that they were not certain about the authenticity of the emails or any Russian involvement but were suspicious based on their experience.
Brennan, one of the signatories, criticized Trump’s executive order as “bizarre” and claimed that Trump misinterpreted the letter.
JOHN BRENNAN’S CLOSED-DOOR HEARING ‘CONFIRMED’ HUNTER LAPTOP LETTER WAS ‘ALL POLITICAL’: JIM JORDAN
Former CIA director John Brennan criticized President Donald Trump’s perspective on the Hunter Biden laptop story. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
“Signatories of the letter wrongly implied that the news story was part of a Russian disinformation campaign,” Trump’s executive order stated about “Former intelligence officials involved in misleading and inappropriate political coordination with the 2020 Biden presidential campaign.”
“He distorted the facts in that executive order by claiming that we suggested the Hunter Biden laptop story was Russian disinformation,” Brennan asserted on MSNBC. “No, we stated that it had all the characteristics of Russian information operations, including the release of accurate information, as mentioned in the letter.”
“This was simply his attempt to retaliate against individuals who have openly criticized him in the past, which I believe is completely justified,” he added.
Other officials mentioned in the executive order include former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper Jr., former CIA director Michael Hayden, former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, and former National Security Advisor John Bolton.
BIDEN CAMPAIGN, BLINKEN ORCHESTRATED INTEL LETTER TO DISCREDIT HUNTER BIDEN LAPTOP STORY, EX-CIA OFFICIAL SAYS
Three days after the letter was released, Biden referenced it in the final 2020 presidential debate to counter Trump’s accusations.
“There are 50 former national intelligence folks who said that what this, he’s accusing me of, is a Russian plan,” Biden stated during the debate.
Shortly after assuming office, President Trump revoked the security clearances of John Brennan and 50 others through executive order. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
In 2023, it was reported that the Department of Justice had been aware since December 2019 that the information on Hunter Biden’s laptop was authentic and unaltered.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE
Brennan mentioned that Trump had previously threatened to revoke his security clearance in 2018, but it was not carried out.
“The only reason I retained my security clearance in recent years post my government service was to assist the government in case the CIA or another agency required my involvement in a classified matter,” Brennan explained.
He elaborated, “It was solely for the government’s benefit to facilitate classified discussions with myself and other former intelligence community members who possessed such clearances.”
Former CIA Director John Brennan discussed the executive order on MSNBC’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports” Tuesday. (MSNBC screenshot)
Brennan has been frequent on MSNBC as a senior national security analyst and is known for his strong criticism of Trump.
In a February 2024 appearance on the network, Brennan alleged that Russia is using Republican politicians for its agenda.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Fox News’ David Spector contributed to this report.
