Amid concerns from Democrats that former President Donald Trump would try to use information from intelligence briefings for his personal gain while he is out of office, White House officials are reviewing whether or not they should allow the former president to receive access to intelligence briefings.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki was asked during her daily press briefing if officials have decided whether or not Trump should receive intelligence briefings now that he is out of office.
“This is a good question, I’ve raised it with our intelligence team, or our national security team, I should say,” Psaki said.
She added, “It’s something obviously that’s under review, but there was not a conclusion last I asked them about it.”
Watch the video below:
Press Sec. Jen Psaki says the White House has yet to decide whether to revoke Pres. Trump’s access to post-presidency intelligence briefings: pic.twitter.com/yK4nMUUyTj
— The Recount (@therecount) February 1, 2021
House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) weighed in on Psaki’s comments on Twitter as he wrote, “Donald Trump must never receive another intelligence briefing. He has repeatedly proven he cannot be trusted. He incited an insurrection, and has done more than enough damage to our country.”
Donald Trump must never receive another intelligence briefing.
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) February 1, 2021
He has repeatedly proven he cannot be trusted. He incited an insurrection, and has done more than enough damage to our country.
We know Trump will abuse any intel for his own gain. He must not be given the chance. https://t.co/eM1lV3wLtI
Schiff has previously argued that “there’s no circumstance in which this president should get another intelligence briefing.”
“I don’t think he can be trusted with it now and in the future, he certainly can’t be trusted,” he added.
Schiff also claimed that foreign intelligence officials “probably started withholding information” from the U.S. because “they didn’t trust the president would safeguard that information and protect their sources and methods, and that makes us less safe.”
Former presidents are typically afforded access to intelligence briefings after they leave office. However, former intelligence officials have raised concerns that if Trump faces financial strain, he may seek to leverage his access to intelligence for his personal financial gain.
Jack Goldsmith, a former senior official in the Justice Department under former President George W. Bush, claimed, “He’s shown as president that he doesn’t take secret-keeping terribly seriously.”
“He has a known tendency to disrespect rules related to national security. And he has a known tendency to like to sell things that are valuable to him,” he added.
Goldsmith pointed to a 2017 incident when Trump shared sensitive intelligence the U.S. received from an ally about a terrorism threat with Russian officials.
Former officials have also pointed to a report that Trump has $300 million in loans that are due within three years. Those officials have noted that large debts to foreign banks would typically prevent someone from receiving a security clearance.
