The White House is debating whether or not it will revoke Donald Trump's access to intelligence briefings in the wake of the Capitol insurrection.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki was asked if the former president would still have access to the classified intelligence reports.
"It's something, obviously, that's under review," she said.
She noted that there had been "no determinations" made at the time the question was asked.
Former presidents typically are given access to intelligence briefings, but Democrats worry Mr Trump might abuse the information in an attempt to use it to his personal advantage.
Susan Gordon, who served as Mr Trump's principal deputy director of national intelligence, added her voice to the chorus of people calling for the former president's access to be revoked.
Ms Gordon explained her position in a Washington Post editorial. She warned that Mr Trump “has significant business entanglements that involve foreign entities” and that continued access to intelligence briefings would result in a "potential national security threat".
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Former FBI Director James Comey told ABC News in an interview that the director of national intelligence, Avirl Haines, "will have to take a very hard look at whether Donald Trump should be given information, including any information that might be sensitive to the security of the United States".
Likewise, Rep. Adam Schiff, a prominent Democratic critic of the former president during the "Russiagate" scandal, said he fully opposed any argument in favour of providing Mr Trump with classified information.
“There’s no circumstance in which [Trump] should get another intelligence briefing,” he said on CBS's Face the Nation. “I don’t think he can be trusted with it now, and in the future.”
It may not be difficult to keep Mr Trump from seeking out the reports; according to a New York Times report from last year, the former president apparently did not read his intelligence briefings and struggled keeping his focus during information sessions.
wee_froggy on February 1st, 2021 at 21:45 UTC »
Even his own team agrees:
"Susan Gordon, who served as Mr Trump's principal deputy director of national intelligence, added her voice to the chorus of people calling for the former president's access to be revoked."
aqwerty91 on February 1st, 2021 at 21:43 UTC »
This is a no brainer given his history of blabbing confidential information. Besides, apparently he never read the briefings while in office. He hardly needs them now.
GlobalTravelR on February 1st, 2021 at 21:42 UTC »
What's to consider. He's clearly a security threat.
Unless you want to give him disinformation so when he gives it to Russia, we can mess with their intelligence services.
Plus when you find out he's done it, you can charge him with spying or treason.