'Very, Very Petty': Former Intel Chief James Clapper Decries Trump's Childish and Hypocritical Threat to Remove Security Clearances

Proving that the White House has become even more childish than had previously been thought possible, press secretary Sarah Sanders announced Monday that President Donald Trump is looking into revoking the security clearances of former officials who frequently criticize the administration.

James Clapper, the former director of national intelligence, was among those who Sanders mentioned a potential target of the revocation.

"This is a petty way of retribution, I suppose for speaking out against the president which I think on the part of all of us, are borne out of genuine concerns about President Trump," Clapper told CNN Monday afternoon over the phone.

"The security clearance has nothing to do with how I or any of us feel about the president. and I don't get the briefings. I don't have access to classified information. It's frankly more of a courtesy that former senior officials get the security clearance. Haven't had a case of using it. It has no bearing on my regard or lack thereof for President Trump or what he's doing," he said. 

Many noted that President Barack Obama never revoked the security clearance of Michael Flynn, who became a prominent critic of Obama after he was forced out of the administration. Trump later made Flynn his national security adviser before being compelled to fire him within less than a month for lying about his contacts with Russia.

"I think this is just a very, very petty thing to do," Clapper concluded. "And that's about all I'll say about it."

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