STATES IN A POSITION>>> WITH US DIRECTOR JOHN BRENNAN WITH US.
A SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY AND
INTEL ANALYST FOR NBC NEWS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH
US.
US. YESTERDAY YOU HAD SUGGESTED, MR.
BRENNAN, THAT LOYAL REPUBLICANS,
THAT PATRIOTIC REPUBLICANS SPEAK
OUT.
OUT. SOME ACTUALLY DID, BEGIN TO
SPEAK OUT, MY FORMER PARTY, NOT
AS MANY AS I WOULD HAVE LIKED,
BUT IT SEEMS THAT YESTERDAY WAS
A MOMENT THAT TRIGGERED MANY TO
FINALLY SAY THE PRESIDENT HAD
GONE TOO FAR.
WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE IN THE BEST
INTEREST, NOT ONLY OF AMERICA’S
INTEL AGENCIES, BUT ALSO IN THE
BEST INTEREST OF AMERICA’S
NATIONAL SECURITY THAT THOSE
PATRIOTIC REPUBLICANS NEED TO DO
TODAY ON THE HILL?
>> WELL, I THINK THERE’S A BIG
QUESTION, FIRST OF ALL, IN TERMS
OF THOSE WHO ARE ON MR. TRUMP’S
NATIONAL SECURITY TEAM.
WHETHER THEY CAN CONTINUE TO
SERVE IN GOOD CONSCIENCE AN
INDIVIDUAL THAT BETRAYED THEM.
BUT LEADERS NEED TO ASK WHAT
THEY NED TO DO TO PROTECT THIS
COUNTRY’S LIBERTIES AND FREEDOM
DESPITE HAVING MR. TRUMP IN THE
OVAL OFFICE.
OVAL OFFICE. SO, I THINK THE OUTCRY NEEDS BE
STRONG.
STRONG. IT NEEDS TO ENDURE.
AND THEY NEED TO THEN ALSO TAKE
ACTION WHETHER IT’S CENSURE OR
DECIDE THIS IS NOT THE
REPUBLICAN PARTY THAT THEY ONCE
KNEW, THEY NEED TO STEP AWAY IT
FROM LIKE DID YOU.
THIS IS NOT WHAT RONALD REAGAN
SAID OR MEANT WHEN HE SAID TO
MR. GORBACHEV BRING DOWN THAT
WALL.
WALL. I HEARD THE WORDS THAT WAS JUST
SAID IN THE FILM CLIP ABOUT
SIMPLE MINDED APPEASEMENT IS
FOLEYLOW
FOLEYLOW TOLL -- FOLLY.
REPUBLICANS NEED TO PUT PRESSURE
ON MR. TRUMP AND SEND A CLEAR
SIGNAL THIS IS INTOLERABLE AND
THEY ARE GOING TO ACT UPON IT.
>>> OBVIOUSLY DAN COATES
YESTERDAY MOVED QUICKLY, AND
HONORABLY TO STAND UP FOR THE
MEN AND THE WOMEN WHO HAVE GIVEN
THEIR ENTIRE ADULT LIVES TO
AMERICA’S INTEL AGENCY.
ALSO THE MEN AND WOMEN IN
UNIFORM THAT HELPED IN
UNCOVERING THE INTERFERENCE IN
AMERICA’S DEMOCRATIC PROCESS IN
2016.
2016. WOULD YOU RECOMMEND, DO YOU
BELIEVE THAT IT’S ACTUALLY
NECESSARY FOR OTHER MEMBERS OF
DONALD TRUMP’S FOREIGN POLICY
TEAM AND INTEL COMMUNITY LIKE
MIKE POMPEO, LIKE THE SECRETARY
OF DEFENSE, GENERAL MATTIS TO
COME OUT TODAY WITH SIMILAR
STATEMENTS SUPPORTING AND
DEFENDING THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO
SACRIFICED EVERYTHING OFTEN IN
DEFENDING THIS COUNTRY?
>> WELL, GOOD ON DAN COAT TO
STAND UP FOR MEN AND WOMEN OF
THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY, AND
THOSE WHO ARE GOING TO BE SILENT
IN THIS ADMINISTRATION ARE
COMPLICIT, SO THEY NEED TO BE
ABLE TO SPEAK OUT VERY STRONGLY.
BUT WHAT MR. TRUMP DID YESTERDAY
WAS TO BETRAY THE WOMEN AND MEN
OF THE FBI, THE CIA AND NSA AND
OTHERS AND BETRAY THE AMERICAN
PUBLIC.
PUBLIC. THAT’S WHY I USE THE TERM THIS
WAS NOTHING SHORT OF TREASON
JAWS BECAUSE IT IS A BETRAYAL OF
THE NATION.
THE NATION. HE’S GIVING AID AND COMFORT TO
THE ENEMY.
THE ENEMY. IT NEED TO STOP.
MR. TRUMP NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND
THERE WILL BE CONSEQUENCES FOR
HIM TOO.
HIM TOO. I HOPE THOSE THAT VOTED FOR MR.
TRUMP IN GOOD CONSCIENCE WILL
SEE HE’S LEADING US DOWN A VERY
DANGEROUS PATH.
DANGEROUS PATH. WHAT WE DON’T WANT IS MR. PUT
WYNN TO WALK AWAY FROM THAT
MEETING THINKING HE CAN GET AWAY
WITH WHATEVER HE WANTS.
I STILL SHAKE MY HEAD TRYING TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS DISCUSSED
DURING THE TWO HOUR ONE-ON-ONE.
WHAT WAS DISCUSSED BETWEEN THE
TWO SIDES IN THEIR BILATERAL
MEETING.
MEETING. WE ONLY SAW WHAT MR. TRUMP SAID
DURING THE PRESS CONFERENCE.
I CAN’T EVEN IMAGINE WHAT HE
SAID BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.
I CAN’T IMAGINE WHAT HE SAID TO
MR. PUTIN DIRECTLY.
I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT
TYPE OF IMPACT IT MIGHT HAVE ON
OUR INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY AND
ON THIS COUNTRY.
>> YOU KNOW, MIKE BARNACLE,
YESTERDAY MANY REPUBLICANS
ATTACKED DONALD TRUMP, SAID THAT
HIS STATEMENTS AND HIS ACTIONS
IN HELSINKI KOWTOWING TO PUTIN
WERE DISGUSTING.
WERE DISGUSTING. I THINK ALL OF THOSE ADJECTIVES
COULD, ALL THE ADJECTIVES THAT
WERE USED COULD ALSO BE APPLIED
TO MIKE PENCE WHO SHAMEFULLY,
SHAMEFULLY DEFENDED THE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
LAST NIGHT IN THE STRONGEST
TERMS, SHAMEFULLY DEFENDED HIS
PERFORMANCE, SHAMEFULLY DEFENDED
HIS KOWTOWING TO A FORMER KGB
AGENT, SHAMEFULLY DEFENDED
DONALD TRUMP’S WHITEWASHING OF
THE RUSSIAN’S INTERFERENCE IN
THE 2016 ELECTION.
>> YEAH, YOU’RE CORRECT, JOE.
YOU’RE CORRECT.
YOU’RE CORRECT. A SHAMEFUL MOMENT FROM THE VICE
PRESIDENT THIS TIME.
BUT DIRECTOR BRENNAN,
INTELLIGENCE GATHERING, AS YOU
CERTAINLY KNOW, IS AN ART.
AND THE ART IS SOMETIMES
INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS AND
SOMETIMES LETHAL TO THE
GATHERER.
GATHERER. SO YESTERDAY WE HAD A MEETING
THAT WE KNOW VERY LITTLE ABOUT,
TWO HOUR CLOSED DOOR MEETING
BETWEEN THE PRESIDENT PUTIN, A
KGB AGENT, KGB DIRECTOR AND THE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
WHAT COULD HAPPEN, IN YOUR MINE,
THE MOST DANGEROUS THING THAT
COULD HAPPEN, IN YOUR MIND, IN
THAT MEETING WHEN YOU HAVE
PRESIDENT PUTIN, A SKILLED IN
INTERROGATOR, QUESTIONING,
INTERROGATOR, QUESTIONING, TALKING WITH THE PRESIDENT OF
THE UNITED STATES WHO IS SO
LIMITED IN HIS KNOWLEDGE OF THE
WORLD AND HIS KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT
INTELLIGENCE TRULY MEANS?
>> WELL, AS YOU POINT OUT MR.
PUTIN IS A SKILLED AND TRAINED
KGB OFFICER, A MASTER MANIPULATE
ORWHO HAS DECADES OF EXPERIENCE.
MR. TRUMP IS WAY, WAY OUT OF HIS
DEPTH WHEN HE GOES INTO A
ONE-ON-ONE WITH MR. PUTIN.
AS YOU POINT OUT U.S.
INTELLIGENCE CAPABILITIES ARE
EXCEPTIONALLY PRECIOUS BUT ALSO
EXCEPTIONALLY DELICATE.
EXCEPTIONALLY DELICATE. I DON’T KNOW WHAT MR. TRUMP
MIGHT HAVE SAID IN THAT MEETING
THAT COULD HAVE COMPROMISED OR
IMPACTED THOSE CAPABILITIES.
I DON’T KNOW.
I STILL DON’T UNDERSTAND WHY HE
DIDN’T TRUST JOHN BOLTON, MIKE
POMPEO TO BE IN THAT MEETING AND
TO HEAR WHAT HE SAID AND WHAT
MR. PUTIN SAID.
THAT RAISES THE COCKLES ON MY
BACK.
BACK. THEN WHEN I SAW THE P.M. IN THE
PRESS CONFERENCE WHERE COMPANY
HAVE DONE WHAT WAS MINIMALLY
ACCEPTABLE, WHICH IS TO SAY THAT
RUSSIA INTERFERED IN THE
ELECTION, WE NEED TO ADDRESS
THAT AND WE NEED TO MOVE ON EVEN
BUT WE’LL HOLD RUSSIA TO
ACCOUNT.
ACCOUNT. HE SUICIDE MR. PUTIN AND THREW
THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY, THE
FBI, THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
AND OTHERS FULLY UNDER THE BUS.
>> IT IS LIKELY, MR. DIRECTOR,
THE RUSSIANS RECORDED THAT TWO
HOUR CONVERSATION?
HOUR CONVERSATION? >> I WOULD FIND IT UNBELIEVABLE
IF THEY DIDN’T.
IN SOME MANNER, YES.
>> DID AMERICANS RECORD IT AS
WELL, DO YOU SUSPECT?
>> I HAVE NO IDEA.
>> BUT EITHER WAY IT’S SOMEWHERE
THERE EXISTS A RECORDING OF WHAT
HAPPENED IN THAT ROOM.
>> HAVE MR. TRUMP SAID IN THAT
MEETING WITH MR. PUTIN IS
MEMORIALIZED ON RUSSIAN TAPE AND
WILL BE UTILIZED BY PUTIN
AGAINST TRUMP.
AGAINST TRUMP. >> MR. TRUMP KNEW THERE WAS A
CHANCE THE RUSSIANS WERE
RECORDING THAT.
RECORDING THAT. >> I’M SURE HE WAS TOLD THAT.
WHETHER HE WOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT
IS SOMETHING ELSE.
WHETHER HE ACCEPTS BY WHAT WAS
SAID BY THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE
CIA, I DON’T KNOW.
>> I UNDERSTAND AS A FORMER CIA
DIRECTOR, CLASSIFIED INFORMATION
YOU’RE NOT GOING TO SHARE WITH
US ON NATIONAL TELEVISION BUT
THE QUESTION NOW HAS TO BE ASKED
BASED ON WHAT WE SAW YESTERDAY
AND EVEN MADELEINE ALBRIGHT
RAISED IT A FEW MINUTES AGO,
DOES VLADIMIR PUTIN, DOES THE
RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT HAVE
SOMETHING PERSONALLY ON DONALD
TRUMP?
TRUMP? >> WELL DONALD TRUMP KNOWS WHAT
HE HAS DONE AND HE HAS NO -- HE
KNOWS WHAT MIGHT THE RUSSIANS
ARE AWARE OF.
SO I THINK HIS ACTIONS TOWARDS
MR. PUTIN MAY REFLECT THAT
CONCERN IN TERM OF WHAT IS IN
DONALD TRUMP’S PAST THAT THE
RUSSIANS HAVE AND MIGHT USE
AGAINST HIM.
AGAINST HIM. >> IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN
CHARACTERIZE FOR US THAT PERHAPS
RUSSIA MIGHT HAVE ON DONALD
TRUMP?
TRUMP? >> I’M NOT GOING TO GO INTO THAT
AT ALL.
AT ALL. >> BUT IT DOES EXIST?
>> I’M NOT SAYING IT EXISTS AT
ALL.
ALL. I’M SAYING TRUMP KNOWS AND
THAT’S WHY HE’S SO DESPERATE TO
TOP THE MUELLER INVESTIGATION,
BECAUSE CLEARLY HE’S CONCERNED
AND VERY, I THINK FEARFUL ABOUT
WHAT MIGHT BE EXPOSED DURING
THAT INVESTIGATION.
THAT INVESTIGATION. >> GIVEN THE BEHAVIOR AND THE
DANGER THAT ACCRUES TO PEOPLE
WHO ARE IN THE INTELLIGENCE
GATHERING BUSINESS, AND GIVEN
THEIR OBLIGATION TO REPORT THIS
INTELLIGENCE TO THE LEADERS OF
THIS COUNTRY, BUT GIVEN THE
ATTITUDE OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES TOWARDS THE
INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY, AND THE
BEHAVIOR AND THE INTELLECT OF
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES, WOULD THERE BE A
TENDENCY FOR INTELLIGENT
GATHERERS, BRIEFERS TO WITHHOLD
NOW SOME VITAL INTELLIGENCE TO
THE PRESIDENT
THE PRESIDENT >> THERE VERY WELL MIGHT BE.
THERE MIGHT BE.
OUT OF CONCERN.
THERE ARE THINGS THAT AS
DIRECTOR OF CIA I WOULDN’T SHARE
DETAILS WITH THE PRESIDENT OF
THE UNITED STATES OR INDIVIDUALS
OUTSIDE OF CIA BECAUSE YOU’RE
TRYING TO PROTECT THE
CAPABILITIES AND YOU DON’T WANT
TO GIVE ANYBODY ANY INFORMATION
THAT THEY DON’T NEED.
SO I DON’T KNOW WHETHER OR NOT
MR. TRUMP HAS BEEN QUESTIONING
HIS INTELLIGENCE BRIEFERS ABOUT
THE CAPABILITIES AND HOW HE’S
GOING TO HANDLE AND PROTECT THAT
INFORMATION.
INFORMATION. I DON’T KNOW.
BUT I THINK THESE ARE QUESTIONS
THAT THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY
IS ASKING ITSELF, WHAT IS MR.
TRUMP UP TO WHEN HE MEETS -- AS
AN INTELLIGENCE OFFICER WE WERE
NOT ALLOWED TO MEET PRIVATELY
WITH ANY RUSSIAN MUCH LESS A
RUSSIAN OFFICIAL.
RUSSIAN OFFICIAL. IT’S SOMETHING WE DON’T DO
UNLESS THERE’S SOME TYPE OF
FORMAL APPROVAL.
FORMAL APPROVAL. MEETING ONE-ON-ONE WITH A
RUSSIAN INTELLIGENCE OFFICER,
THAT’S SOMETHING THAT CIA
OFFICERS ARE WELL TRAINED TO BE
ABLE TO BE AWARE OF WHAT THEY
MIGHT TRY TO DO, TO EXPLOIT THAT
RELATIONSHIP.
RELATIONSHIP. >> JOHN, WHAT DO YOU SEE NOW AS
RUSSIAN FOREIGN POLICY GOES WHAT
DO YOU THINK PUTIN’S DEFINITION
OF SUCCESS IS AND HOW CLOSE
AFTER THIS WEEK, HOW CLOSE DO
YOU THINK HE IS TO REALIZING
SUCCESS?
SUCCESS? >> WELL, I THINK HE IS VERY
CONFIDENT AND COMFORTABLE NOW
THAT MR. TRUMP WILL NOT HOLD MR.
PUTIN AND THE RUSSIANS TO
ACCOUNT FOR INTERFERENCE IN THE
ELECTION.
ELECTION. I THINK THEY ARE REJOICING AT
HOW WELL THE HELSINKI SUMMIT
WENT.
WENT. MR. PUTIN MIGHT BE CONCERNED
THAT TRUMP WENT BEYOND WHERE HE
SHOULD HAVE GONE AND NOW IT’S
MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR
TRUMP TO CONTINUE IN THIS, YOU
KNOW, WITH THIS RELATIONSHIP
BECAUSE OF THE OUTCRY FROM BOTH
SIDES OF THE AISLE.
SO I THINK MR. PUTIN IS THINKING
THAT TRUMP HAS GONE WELL BEYOND
WHAT WAS SEEN AS ACCEPTABLE.
>> DO YOU TAKE IT IN ANY WAY HE
WAS MADE NERVOUS BY THE MUELLER
INDICTMENTS, THE SPECIFICITY
ABOUT THE GRU.
>> THAT’S A GOOD QUESTION.
THE INTEL COMMUNITY DID AN
EXCELLENT JOB NOT JUST TRACING
FORENSICS BUT DOING IT IN A
MANNER THAT WON’T COMPROMISE
COLLECTION METHODS.
COLLECTION METHODS. IT SENDS A SIGNAL TO PUTIN.
YOU THINK YOU’RE GOOD AT CYBER
WE’RE BETTER THAN YOU ARE.
I WISH THAT TRUMP WOULD SAY, YOU
TRY TO RATTLE OUR CASE AGAIN AND
WE’LL RATTLE YOUR CAGES BEYOND
WHAT YOU EVEN THOUGHT WE COULD
DO.
DO. WE NEED TO MAKE IT CLEAR TO MR.
PUTIN HE CAN DO THIS AND GET
AWAY WITH IT.
THAT’S WHY DAN COATES AND OTHERS
NEED TO BE ON TOP OF THEIR GAME
AND SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER AND
MAKE SURE TRUMP DOESN’T GET AWAY
WITH THIS.
WITH THIS. >> DIRECTOR, BRENNAN THANK YOU