The Morning Briefing: Brennan Security Clearance Yanked and Much, Much More

Good Thursday morning.

Here is what’s on the president’s agenda today:

The president hosts a cabinet meeting
President Trump has lunch with the vice president
The president meets with the Secretary of Homeland Security

John Brennan’s security clearance is yanked

Here is your feel-good story of the day. Yesterday, the administration revoked political celebrity, cable news contributor/anonymous source, Twitter personality and former CIA Director John Brennan’s security clearance.

“I have a unique constitutional responsibility to protect the nation’s classified information, including by controlling access to it. Today, in fulfilling that responsibility, I have decided to revoke the security clearance of John Brennan, former director of the Central Intelligence Agency,” Trump said in a statement dictated in the White House briefing room by his press secretary Sarah Sanders. “Mr. Brennan’s lying and recent conduct characterized by increasingly frenzied commentary is wholly inconsistent with access to the nation’s most closely held secrets.”

Farewell, cushy consulting jobs that require a security clearance…

Now, Brennan isn’t just a former CIA director. Brennan is a violent partisan who (most likely) used the American intelligence apparatus to sabotage the Trump campaign and frame it for “RUSSIA-collusion.” He has used his former job’s cache to criticize the administration and make accusations that have some weight behind them on account of his former position. Can anyone listen to this clown or read his tweets and think he was a nonpartisan civil servant in the CIA? FNC has a collection of Brennan’s tweets ripping President Trump.

This action is part of a broader effort by Mr. Trump to suppress freedom of speech & punish critics. It should gravely worry all Americans, including intelligence professionals, about the cost of speaking out. My principles are worth far more than clearances. I will not relent. https://t.co/TNzOxhP9ux

— John O. Brennan (@JohnBrennan) August 15, 2018

This has nothing to do with free speech. No one is entitled to a security clearance.

Almost as fantastic as the clearance revocation was the media reaction. CNN suggests Trump did it to get Omarosa off the headlines. The tabloid network also reported that Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats was not consulted about the WH decision, but PJ Media’s Pat Poole shows, that’s not true.

CNN’s @jimsciutto caught pushing #FakeNews again. pic.twitter.com/y2172PYcrO

— Patrick Poole (@pspoole) August 15, 2018

CNN has not removed the false claim from the story. Trump said in a statement yesterday that he is still considering revoking the clearances of other deep state operatives.

Tucker Carlson attacks press as ‘state media’ after Trump strips ex-CIA chief’s clearance

RUSSIA roundup

Papadopoulos’s Wife Says He Should Scrap His Plea Deal With Mueller

Graham calls for special counsel to investigate FBI’s handling of Clinton emails, FISA warrant

DOJ Attorney Faces Deposition In FISA Abuse Probe

Your daily WTFs:

I’m screaming on the inside. This Woman Lost Her Contact Lens. Doctors Found It in Her Eyelid 28 Years Later

Doctors remove 87 nails, 7 push pins after man eats them

Historical picture of the day: