Where has House Speaker Paul Ryan’s (R-WI) courage been since Donald Trump was elected president? When reporters pressed Speaker Ryan about POTUS’ threat to revoke former head national security officials’ security clearances, the speaker’s reply was astonishing. He chuckled.
NBC News‘ Kasie Hunt asked if the president’s promise was dangerous, he tossed it off, saying:
‘I think he’s trolling people, honestly. This is something that’s in the purview of the executive branch.’
During the White House press briefing, Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said:
‘Not only is the President looking to take away Brennan’s (former CIA Director John Brennan) security clearance, he’s also looking into the clearances of Comey (former FBI Director James Comey), Clapper (former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper), Hayden (former CIA Director Michael Hayden), Rice (former National Security Adviser Susan Rice), and McCabe (former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe). The president is exploring the mechanisms to remove security clearance because they’ve politicized and, in some cases, monetized their public service and security clearances.’
Classification expert at the Project on Government Security, Steven Aftergood, said he had never heard of a president voiding a previous administration official’s clearance:
‘Especially those who had expressed criticism of his actions.’
After Trump’s comment, Clapper noted that his security clearance:
‘Has nothing to do with how I or any of us feel about the president. And I don’t get the briefings. I don’t have access to classified information. It’s frankly more of a courtesy that former senior officials in the intelligence community are extended the courtesy of keeping the security clearance. Haven’t had a case to use it, and has no bearing whatsoever on my regard or lack thereof for President Trump or what he’s doing.’
Hayden said:
‘I don’t go back for classified briefings (although they occasionally ask me in to offer a view on something). Won’t have any impact on what I say or write.’
Watch Ryan in action:
‘House Speaker Paul Ryan on President Trump revoking security clearances:
“I think he’s just trolling people.”‘
House Speaker Paul Ryan on President Trump revoking security clearances:
“I think he’s just trolling people.” pic.twitter.com/VxZtGsduDu
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) July 24, 2018
Twitter wild went off on Trump. Check out some more of our favorite tweets below:
Featured image is a screenshot via YouTube.
