KRISTEN WELKER IS AT THE WHITE HOUSE WITH THE LATEST.
GOOD MORNING.
GOOD MORNING. >> Reporter: GOOD MORNING TO
YOU.
YOU. THE MOVE TO REVOKE CIA DIRECTOR
JOHN BRENNAN’S SECURITY
CLEARANCE MARKS AN ESCALATION OF
THE FEUD BETWEEN THE PRESIDENT
AND THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY
WITH THE PRESIDENT LINKING HIS
DECISION TO BRENNAN’S DECISION
IN THE RUSSIA INVESTIGATION AND
THIS MORNING BRENNAN HAS A
BLISTERING OP ED IN THE NEW YORK
TIMES IN WHICH HE SAYS, QUOTE,
MR. TRUMP’S CLAIM OF NO
COLLUSION ARE IN A WORD,
HOGWASH.
HOGWASH. OVERNIGHT FOR THE FIRST TIME
PRESIDENT TRUMP DRAWING A DIRECT
CONNECTION TO THE RUSSIA
INVESTIGATION AND HIS
CONTROVERSIAL MOVE TO REVOKE THE
SECURITY CLEARANCE FROM FORMER
CIA DIRECTOR JOHN BRENNAN.
THE PRESIDENT TELLING "THE WALL
STREET JOURNAL," I CALL IT THE
RIGGED WITCH HUNT.
IT IS A SHAM AND THESE PEOPLE
LET IT.
LET IT. ADDING SO I THINK IT’S SOMETHING
THAT HAD TO BE DONE.
BRENNAN WHO WAS DIRECTOR TO THE
CIA DURING THE OBAMA
ADMINISTRATION FIRST TOLD MR.
TRUMP THE RUSSIANS HAD INTERFERE
INTERFERED IN THE ELECTION
SHORTLY BEFORE HIS ELECTION.
>> IF MR. TRUMP BELIEVES THAT
THIS IS GOING TO LEAD ME TO JUST
TO GO AWAY AND BE QUIET, HE IS
VERY BADLY MISTAKEN.
>> Reporter: CALLING THE
PRESIDENT’S DECISION
PRESIDENT’S DECISION UNPRECEDENTED.
UNPRECEDENTED. >> I’VE SEEN THIS TYPE OF
BEHAVIOR, AND ACTIONS ON THE
PART OF FOREIGN TYRANTS AND
DESPOTS AND AUTOCRATS FOR MANY,
MANY YEARS.
MANY YEARS. I NEVER, EVER THOUGHT I WOULD
SEE IT HERE IN THE UNITED
STATES.
STATES. >> Reporter: MR. TRUMP IN A
STATEMENT DELIVERED BY HIS PRESS
SECRETARY ACCUSING BRENNAN OF
PUTTING THE NATION’S CLASSIFIED
INFORMATION AT RISK BY ABUSING
HIS ACCESS.
HIS ACCESS. >> MR. BRENNAN HAS RECENTLY
LEVERAGED HIS STATUS AS A FORMER
HIGH RANKING OFFICIAL WITH
ACCESS TO HIGHLY SENSITIVE
INFORMATION TO MAKE A SERIES OF
UNFOUNDED AND OUTRAGEOUS
ALLEGATIONS, WILD OUTBURSTS ON
THE INTERNET AND TELEVISION
ABOUT THIS ADMINISTRATION.
>> Reporter: FOR MONTHS BRENNAN
HAS CRITICIZEDR. TRUMP AND HIS
POLICIES.
POLICIES. >> I THINK THE MOST DIVISIVE
PRESIDENT WE’VE EVER HAD IN THE
OVAL OFFICE.
OVAL OFFICE. >> Reporter: INCLUDING AFTER THE
HELSINKI SUMMIT WITH VLADIMIR
PUTIN.
PUTIN. >> I EQUATE IT TO THE BETRAYAL
OF ONE’S NATION.
>> Reporter: BUT THE PRESIDENT
OFFERING NO EVIDENCE OF ANY
NATIONAL SECURITY VIOLATION OR
DISCLOSURE OF CLASSIFIED
INFORMATION BY THE FORMER CIA
DIRECTOR.
DIRECTOR. THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS THE
PRESIDENT IS ALSO REVIEWING
CLEARANCES FOR OTHER CURRENT AND
FORMER OFFICIALS.
FORMER OFFICIALS. MANY OF WHOM ARE TRUMP CRITICS
OR INVOLVED IN THE RUSSIA
INVESTIGATION.
INVESTIGATION. AMONG THEM, FORMER CIA DIRECTOR
MICHAEL
MICHAEL MICHAEL HAYDEN WHO SPOKE OUT
FORCEFULLY OVERNIGHT.
FORCEFULLY OVERNIGHT. >> THE WHITE HOUSE JUST MESSAGED
THE ENTIRE INTELLIGENCE
COMMUNITY, IF YOU STAND UP AND
SAY THINGS THAT UPSET THE
PRESIDENT OR WITH WHICH HE
DISAGREES, HE WILL PUNISH YOU.
>> WELL, THE PRESIDENT HAS BEEN
THREATENING TO PULL THAT
SECURITY CLEARANCE FOR I GUESS
WEEKS, MAYBE EVEN LONGER.
WHY DID HE PULL THE TRIGGER JUST
YESTERDAY?
YESTERDAY? >> Reporter: GOOD QUESTION.
FIRST CONTEXT.
FIRST CONTEXT. JOHN BRENNAN IS SOMEONE WHO HAS
WORKED WITH MULTIPLE PRESIDENTS.
DEMOCRAT AND REPUBLICAN.
AS TO YOUR QUESTION, THE
PRESIDENT’S STATEMENT YESTERDAY
WAS ORIGINALLY DATED JULY 26TH.
THAT’S THREE DAYS AFTER THE
WHITE HOUSE FIRST FLOATED THE
IDEA OF REVOKING SECURITY
CLEARANCES.
CLEARANCES. SO A LOT OF PEOPLE TODAY ARE
SAYING IT LOOKS LIKE THE WHITE
HOUSE HAD THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IN
ITS BACK POCKET TO TRY TO CHANGE
THE CONVERSATION AT A TIME OF
CONTROVERSY.
CONTROVERSY. AND WHILE THE WHITE HOUSE IS
PUSHING BACK ON THAT SAYING
LOOK, THIS MIXUP WAS MERELY AN
ERROR, OFFICIALS HERE ARE EAGER
TO TURN THE PAGE ON MULTIPLE
HEAD LOOIB
HEAD LOOIB HEADLINES.
HEADLINES. OMAROSA ACCUSING HIM OF BEING IN
MENTAL DECLINE AND USING THE
N-WORD.
N-WORD. AND HIS FORMER CAMPAIGN CHAIR