It’s standard practice to share classified information with presidential nominees, but the decision to brief Trump if he becomes the GOP nominee this year is loaded with political and potentially legal risks.
U.S. intelligence officials are planning to brief Donald Trump on national security matters if he secures the GOP nomination this summer — despite concerns about his handling of classified information.
The decision would be in keeping with a tradition that dates back to 1952, but it would mark the first time an administration has volunteered to share classified information with a candidate who is facing criminal charges related to the mishandling of classified documents.
The Biden administration intends to share intelligence with the former president no matter the outcome of his trial in Florida, according to a senior intelligence official and a second person with knowledge of internal conversations. They, like some others interviewed, were granted anonymity to discuss sensitive internal deliberations.
The sit-down is not legally required, but for the last 72 years, incumbent administrations have tapped the spy agencies to read in the candidates of both major political parties on some of the most pressing threats to the country. While often this is just one meeting, sometimes candidates receive several briefings.
The briefings, which are managed by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and approved by the White House, normally take place after the national conventions in late summer.
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Biden plans intel brief for Trump, despite his history with leaks https://t.co/JDrPeUAiRM
— POLITICO (@politico) March 7, 2024
Former national security adviser John Bolton said he is "perplexed" about reports of former President Trump receiving intelligence briefings if he becomes the GOP presidential nominee. https://t.co/uf4P4pUGfL
— The Hill (@thehill) March 10, 2024
Adam Schiff: ‘Dumb down’ the briefing for Donald Trump https://t.co/NTtPzLaynm
— POLITICO (@politico) March 10, 2024
This is a more realistic approach. If Biden decides to let him have the briefings, basically keep it at the newspaper clippings level. It's a real (but not deep) briefing, you get to ask questions of the analysts and briefers, and that's that. https://t.co/s4TdReW4TJ
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) March 14, 2024
If Trump wins, the dilemma for people in the U.S. government who to give him classified information is going to be immense. Trump checks every box on the "insider threat" briefing that USG employees have to sit through every year. Who do you call when the threat is POTUS?
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) March 12, 2024
The people who work for the government of the United States are loyal and conscientious – and Trump will replace them with people who care as much about classified information as he does. Also, he'll have the codes to 1500 nuclear weapons. Sleep well! /2x
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) March 12, 2024
Let's check Trump on the "insider threat" security rating, shall we?
– beefs with the US govt ✅
– shady foreign friends ✅
– serious money problems ✅
– opaque finances ✅
– irrational rages and outbursts ✅
– vows of revenge ✅Would be escorted from the building pronto.
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) March 12, 2024
This is what I simply can’t grasp. I held a DOD/DOE secret clearance working with naval nuclear reactors. No one with 1/100th of the compromising positions that Trump is in would even have been considered for employment knowing that a security clearance was required.
— Joe Pratt (@JoePrattMaine) March 12, 2024
“Trump checks almost every box on those lists” of why he shouldn’t be trusted to see any national security secrets. @RadioFreeTom nails it once again…Trump is a proven security risk and should not receive intel briefings. https://t.co/ELdKls2T1Q
— Mark Hertling (@MarkHertling) March 13, 2024
Probably a good time to remind people that Presidents and elected politicians do not have actual security clearances.
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) March 14, 2024
Millions of Americans want to give this disordered child the nuclear codes simply because they think it would be a hoot and it will piss off all the people they hate for looking down on them; it never occurs to them that this is why people look down on them in the first place https://t.co/DPjampTemn
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) March 14, 2024
Jeebus. You cannot ask the U.S. intel community to gin up fake information, put a classification stamp on it, and then brief it to a U.S. citizens who has been offered the briefing as a courtesy. Falsifying records, among other things, is a crime.
Stop wishcasting like children. https://t.co/0btGY7lODk
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) March 14, 2024
Jeebus. You cannot ask the U.S. intel community to gin up fake information, put a classification stamp on it, and then brief it to a U.S. citizens who has been offered the briefing as a courtesy. Falsifying records, among other things, is a crime.
Stop wishcasting like children. https://t.co/0btGY7lODk
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) March 14, 2024
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