Rep. Kristi Noem says John Brennan put politics above national security
Amid uproar from the intelligence community over President Trump's decision to revoke the security clearance of former CIA Director John Brennan, Republican Rep. Kristi Noem of South Dakota is standing by the president, arguing that there were clear "national security concerns" to warrant Brennan losing his clearance.
"You know, obviously in this instance there was national security concerns. It appears that at times Brennan has put political purposes above national security. And I think what's astounding to me is realizing that there's over 5 million people in this country that have security clearances so there's a lot of folks out there with important information," Noem said on CBS' "Face the Nation" on Sunday.
Noem added, "You know obviously there's information the White House has that none of us are privy to. But I think it's important to know that the number one priority needs to continue to be national security and when we're looking at these types of situations that if someone appears to have put political purposes above national security then that's grounds for review."
The White House announced the move to revoke Brennan's clearance last week, questioning his "objectivity and credibility." Brennan, who served as CIA director from 2013 to 2017, has been outspoken against Mr. Trump's policies since taking office. Critics have slammed the president's move to revoke clearances as an effort to silence his most vocal foes.
Leaders of the intelligence community have taken a stand against the White House's move, with over a dozen former senior intelligence officials signing a letter condemning Mr. Trump's decision and 60 lower-ranking former CIA officers following suit.