In a moment that will surely have many conservatives shaking their heads, former CIA Director John Brennan, known for his fervent anti-Trump rhetoric and over-the-top reactions, recently erupted on MSNBC after President Donald Trump followed through on his promise to strip Brennan of his security clearance.
This latest development stems from Brennan’s involvement in the infamous 2020 letter from former intelligence officials that sought to discredit the Hunter Biden laptop scandal. The letter, signed by at least 51 former intelligence officials—including Brennan—suggested that the story of Hunter Biden’s abandoned laptop was part of a Russian disinformation campaign. Of course, as we now know, this “disinformation” turned out to be an accurate and significant story about the Biden family’s shady dealings, further damaging Brennan’s credibility.
President Trump responded with an executive order aimed at punishing Brennan and others involved in the letter. The order highlighted how these former intelligence officials, many of whom held security clearances, abused their positions to manipulate the political process and influence the 2020 election. “The fabrication of the imprimatur of the Intelligence Community to suppress information essential to the American people during a Presidential election is an egregious breach of trust,” the order stated. It went on to say that this breach of trust, akin to tactics seen in third-world regimes, had severely undermined the faith Americans have in their intelligence agencies.
In an exclusive interview with MSNBC, Brennan reacted to his security clearance revocation, doubling down on his claim that he needed the clearance for the “benefit of the government.” He argued that his clearance allowed him to engage in classified discussions with current and former members of the intelligence community. “It was really for the government’s benefit,” Brennan insisted, though his defense felt more like a desperate attempt to justify his ongoing access to classified information after leaving government service.
Brennan, clearly flustered, also tried to downplay his role in the misleading letter, claiming that Trump misrepresented the facts in his executive order. He went on to play semantic games, claiming that the letter didn’t label the Hunter Biden laptop story as Russian disinformation but merely suggested it “had the hallmarks” of a Russian information operation. The semantics were lost on most, especially given that Brennan and his fellow signatories were actively working to suppress the story and protect Joe Biden’s candidacy.
But rather than directly address the concerns that led to his clearance being revoked—his role in undermining public trust in the intelligence community and potentially influencing the election—Brennan deflected. He accused Trump of using the revocation as a form of revenge for his criticisms of the president. “This was just, you know, his effort to try to get back at those individuals who have criticized him openly and publicly in the past,” Brennan said, playing the victim card rather than acknowledging the very real abuses of power that led to his downfall.
The timing of Brennan’s meltdown couldn’t be more telling. It’s hard not to notice the stark contrast between Trump’s actions—holding former intelligence officials accountable for their politicized actions—and Brennan’s frantic, almost petulant, defense of his actions. This isn’t about personal vendettas or revenge. This is about restoring integrity and trust to the intelligence community, something that Brennan and his colleagues did not seem to take seriously when they allowed their political bias to cloud their judgment.
Brennan’s emotional outburst only underscores the need for a president like Trump who isn’t afraid to take on the deep state. While Brennan continues to play the victim, President Trump remains focused on protecting the American people from political manipulation, and his executive orders are a step in the right direction. The real question is, how long will Brennan continue to maintain his credibility after this debacle?
