New: Trump blocked John Brennan from seeing his classified notes and records, ex-CIA director writes in forthcoming memoir. washingtonpost.com/national-secur…
Notably, Brennan says that he still has his security clearances, contrary to Trump's case that he revoked them. But Trump issued a directive, Brennan writes, "that purportedly forbids anyone in the intelligence community from sharing classified information with me.”
Brennan writes that he only learned about this Trump order that applies to him when he asked the CIA to see his official records, a courtesy granted to all other former directors who write memoirs. The agency said, no.
Brennan says CIA Dir. Gina Haspel never replied to his inquiry about the order that he said was designed to "punish and retaliate against me." “So much for my fervent hope that interactions with my successors would be unencumbered by Washington’s partisan waters."
That's a notable dig at the sitting CIA director, whom Brennan has known for many years. And former directors generally try to maintain good relations. Brennan essentially is arguing Haspel was cowed by presidential politics.
