During an interview with Norah O’Donnell President Biden said he believed former President Trump should not receive classified briefings as is custom. The interview itself focused on a wide range of topics from if Biden believed Trump should be impeached and if changing minimum wage would be introduced to the Senate with the current stimulus bill.
Biden Says Trump Has No Need For Briefings.
When asked directly if President Biden believed Donald Trump should have access to intelligence briefings he responded with “I think not.” He was asked to elaborate. Biden said “because of his erratic behavior unrelated to the insurrection.” The President agreed with his previous statements calling the former President “Dangerous” and an “existential threat.” O’Donnell asked Biden his worst fear if Trump continued to receive intelligence briefings. He then went on to say “I’d rather not speculate out loud. I just think that there is no need for him to have the intelligence briefings. What value is giving him an intelligence briefing? What impact does he have at all, other than the fact he might slip and say something?” Biden isn’t the only person who has made it clear they don’t think Trump should have access to Intelligence briefings.
People who don’t think Trump should have access to intelligence briefings.
Sue Gordon, a former Principal Deputy Director of Intelligence in the Trump administration, wrote in an op-ed. “My recommendation, as a 30-plus-year veteran of the intelligence community, is not to provide him any briefings after Jan. 20,” Gordon argued Trump is a “potential security risk” in light of his “significant business entanglements that involve foreign entities.” Democratic Representative Adam Schiff, Chairman of the House of Intelligence Committee, said on Face the Nation “There is no circumstance in which this president should get another intelligence briefing, not now and not in the future.” He goes on to mention intelligence partners around the world safeguarding information and how that makes us less safe. Rolling Stone quoted Senator of Maine, Angus King, having similar opinions. “There’s a grave danger of him inadvertently or willfully revealing classified information.” King also said “There is no upside. There is no reason that he needs to have this information.” Isn’t this the same stuff people have been accusing Trump of while he was President? Has this affected the president’s current standing in relation to receiving briefings? Are they allowed to ban Trump from receiving briefings?
Can they ban Trump from receiving Intelligence briefings?
According to the National Security Act of 1947 (title VIII section 801 a) the President shall, by Executive order or regulation, establish procedures to govern access to classified information which shall be binding upon all departments, agencies, and offices of the executive branch of Government. This means that Biden can potentially ban Trump from receiving Intelligence Briefings. Most former Presidents are allowed to receive Intelligence briefings in the event their advice is needed. The biggest fear seems to be leaking information which Trump was accused of many times throughout his presidency. According to the NY times Trump openly talks about wanting to run for President again and another fear is him using the Intelligence to fit his “political agenda.” Most of the pushback seems to be coming from the Left. There was a lot of call from the Right back in November for, at the time, President-elect Joe Biden to receive Intelligence Briefings. Why aren’t they supporting Trump the same way now? According to CNN, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said “The intelligence community supports requests for intelligence briefings by former presidents and will review any incoming requests, as they always have.” This means if Trump were to request an intelligence briefing his request would be reviewed like any other former President. CNN also reported a Senior Administration Official had confirmed Trump currently had not requested any Intelligence briefings. Do you think former President Trump should be banned from receiving Intelligence briefings?
Written by: Erinn Malloy
