Ex-CIA Director John Brennan accused former President Donald Trump of distorting facts about the Hunter Biden laptop story. This came after Trump revoked security clearances for 51 ex-intelligence officials on Tuesday.
Trump's executive order targeted those who signed a 2020 letter claiming the laptop emails had "classic earmarks of a Russian information operation." Many signers were vocal supporters of Joe Biden's campaign.
The letter itself admitted uncertainty. "We do not know if the emails are genuine or not and have no evidence of Russian involvement," it stated. Still, the signers said their experience raised suspicions of Russia's role.
Brennan, one of the signers, called Trump’s order "bizarre." He said, "He misrepresented the facts in that executive order because it said that we had suggested the Hunter Biden laptop story was Russian disinformation."
The executive order accused the officials of "misleading political coordination" with Biden’s 2020 campaign. Brennan responded, "We said it had hallmarks of Russian information operations, including accurate information dumping."
He claimed Trump’s action was personal. "This was just his effort to get back at those who criticized him openly," Brennan said during an MSNBC interview.
Other officials named in the order included James Clapper Jr., Michael Hayden, Leon Panetta, and John Bolton. Biden later cited their letter in a 2020 debate to counter Trump’s claims.
In 2023, reports revealed the DOJ had known since 2019 that the laptop contained "reliable evidence" and hadn’t been tampered with.
Brennan also noted Trump previously announced in 2018 that he would revoke his clearance, but it didn’t happen then. He explained his clearance existed to assist the government when needed.
"It was really for the government’s benefit," Brennan said. It allowed agencies to consult with him and other former officials on classified matters.
Brennan, a regular MSNBC analyst, remains a sharp Trump critic. In February 2024, he accused Russia of using Republican politicians "as tools."