President Trump is reportedly gearing up to revoke more security clearances from former intelligence officials who were tied to the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
The Washington Post reported Thursday, citing two unidentified White House officials, that the president is eager to strip more security clearances from former officials, a day after he revoked ex-CIA Director John Brennan’s security clearance.
The aides who spoke to the publication said that the president grew increasingly frustrated earlier in the summer with Brennan, who has long criticized Trump throughout his presidency.
Trump accused Brennan and other former intelligence officials of using their credentials for profit, the aides claimed.
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Trump has drafted a list of former intelligence officials whose clearances could be revoked, a list White House press secretary Sarah Sanders read during a briefing this week.
According to the aides who spokes to The Post, former FBI Director James Comey and former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe are among those being focused on by Trump, though The Post noted that both men lost their security clearances when they were fired.
Officials claimed he wanted them included on the list anyway.
The report arrives a day after Trump revoked Brennan’s security clearance, a move that was widely regarded as an attempt to retaliate against a vocal critic of his administration.
The president later said in an interview on Wednesday that he decided to revoke Brennan’s clearance due to his role in the early stages of the Russia probe.
Trump said that he considers Brennan and other former intelligence officials whose clearances he’s considering revoking among the leaders of the investigation.
“I call it the rigged witch hunt, [it] is a sham. And these people led it!” Trump said hours after Brennan’s clearance was being revoked.
“So I think it’s something that had to be done,” he added.