Brennan defends Clapper, tells Trump: 'Your hypocrisy knows no bounds'
Former CIA Director John Brennan has blasted US President Donald Trump as a hypocrite for his harsh criticism of the country’s former director of National Intelligence James Clapper and referring to the ex-spy chief as a “lying machine.”
"Mr. Trump: Your hypocrisy knows no bounds,” Brennan tweeted Saturday, defending his colleague in the US intelligence community, further insisting that “Jim Clapper is a man of integrity, honesty, ethics, & morality. You are not.”
The CIA chief under the Obama administration also accused Trump of undermining the US presidential office, adding: “Jim Clapper served his country for over a half century, including in Vietnam. You did not. By your words & behavior, you diminish the Office of the Presidency."
Trump attacked Clapper on Twitter earlier on Saturday following a report released Friday by Republican members of the House Intelligence Committee stating that Clapper had discussed the shocking "Steele dossier" about Trump and Russia with CNN reporters -- including anchor Jake Tapper -- in 2017.
The dossier, compiled by former British spy Christopher Steele, contains unverified allegations about collusion between the Trump presidential campaign and Russia.
According to the Republican report, Clapper had previously "flatly denied" leaking the contents of the dossier, but ultimately admitted to discussing the dossier with Tapper and other journalists shortly before Trump's inauguration in January 2017.
"Clapper’s discussion with Tapper took place in 'early January 2017,' around the time [intelligence officials] briefed President Obama and President-elect Trump, on 'the Christopher Steele information,'” said the document. Clapper joined CNN as a network contributor in August 2017.
The House Intelligence Committee further announced the conclusion of its Russia probe on Friday. It underlined that there was “no evidence” regarding alleged collusion between Russia and Trump’s presidential campaign in 2016.
Clapper and Brennan have been among the vocal critics of Trump, joining other former members of the Obama administration in lambasting the current president on social media.
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