Thursday, July 30, 2020

Former CIA Director John Brennan Blocked From Access to Classified Material

Former CIA Director John Brennan, a vocal critic of President Trump, found out he had been blocked from accessing his classified notes and records while working on his new memoir. 
He writes in his forthcoming book, Undaunted: My Fight Against America's Enemies, at Home and Abroad, that after months of "haggling" he discovered the CIA was abiding by the directive Trump gave in August 2018 "that purportedly forbids anyone in the intelligence community from sharing classified information with me." 
The White House confirmed the directive was being enforced, which is news considering the New York Times reported in May of last year that the president never revoked Brennan's security clearance. 
"The President has constitutional authority to control access to classified information, which he exercised here in view of Mr. Brennan's erratic behavior and the President;s belief that access to classified information should be solely for the benefit of the government and the American people," White House spokesman Judd Deere said. 
Brennan, who acknowledges he is in the "crosshairs" of the criminal inquiry into the Russia investigation led by U.S. Attorney John Durham, claimed he asked the CIA for his official records including his personal notes and any classified CIA documents that he had signed, but the agency denied his request.

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