Posted on 12/11/2017 7:23:33 PM PST by Red Steel
Former Acting CIA Director Michael Morell thinks that intelligence agencies were too harsh to Trump during the campaign and presidential transition, according to an interview released Monday.
Morell, who left the CIA in 2013 after serving as its acting director twice, endorsed Hillary Clinton in an August 2016 New York Times op-ed.
Politico’s Susan Glassner asked Morell if getting involved was a mistake and the former CIA official said that it wasn’t, but that “there were downsides to it that I didn’t think about at the time.”
“I was concerned about what is the impact it would have on the agency, right? Very concerned about that, thought that through. But I don’t think I fully thought through the implications,” Morell said. “So, let’s put ourselves here in Donald Trump’s shoes. So, what does he see? Right? He sees a former director of CIA and a former director of NSA, Mike Hayden, who I have the greatest respect for, criticizing him and his policies. Right? And he could rightfully have said, ‘Huh, what’s going on with these intelligence guys?’ Right?”
WATCH U.S. INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS DISCUSS RUSSIAN MEDDLING IN THE ELECTION:
“And then he sees a former acting director and deputy director of CIA criticizing him and endorsing his opponent,” Morell continued. “And then he gets his first intelligence briefing, after becoming the Republican nominee, and within 24 to 48 hours, there are leaks out of that that are critical of him and his then-national security advisor, Mike Flynn.”
Morell is referring to an NBC report that said Flynn was repeatedly interrupting briefers during the session.
“And so, this stuff starts to build, right? And he must have said to himself, ‘What is it with these intelligence guys? Are they political?’ The current director at the time, John Brennan, during the campaign occasionally would push back on things that Donald Trump had said,” Morell told Politico.
The former CIA acting director continued to reference leaked reports during the interview.
“Then he becomes president, and he’s supposed to be getting a daily brief from the moment he becomes the president-elect. Right? And he doesn’t. And within a few days, there’s leaks about how he’s not taking his briefing. So, he must have thought—right?—that, ‘Who are these guys? Are these guys out to get me? Is this a political organization? Can I think about them as a political organization when I become president?'”
He concluded: “So, I think there was a significant downside to those of us who became political in that moment. So, if I could have thought of that, would I have ended up in a different place? I don’t know. But it’s something I didn’t think about.”
now he is concerned..uh huh uh oh
Not many of Trump’s enemies are strategic thinkers. Seems to be a problem they all have.
“Former Acting CIA Director Michael Morell thinks that intelligence agencies were too harsh to Trump during the campaign and presidential transition”
Why were they ‘involved’ at all?
OMG!!! .. and these are the ‘top’ guys that are supposed to be doing the ‘smart thinking’ to protect us?
Not for nutt’n, this guy sounds like a moron.
It seems to me that he knows something the public is going to know soon and wants to get in before the blowback.
I think that the former CIA director is going to get to regrets his actions a bit more sincere fashion.
Disgusted with the “Inteligence Community”. Bookmark
Mike Morell is the insect that edited the Benghazi talking points into 100% LIES.
The man is articulate, cerebrial, presentable, AND A TOTAL SCUMBAG.
If his lips are moving...? It’s a LIE.
Think you regret it now, ... just wait a while.
A cornered RAT.
This fellow doesn’t sound like he’s fit to be director of anything.
I think this is just another reflection of the person of Obama and the characters of those around him.
The very fact that they cast aside their professionalism to take a political stance should be enough to send them all packing in disgrace.
Isn’t it their job to think such things through?
Besides working as a TV commentator Mike Morrell is also an employee of a VERY tightly affiliated Clinton think-tank.
What he is now finding out more and more is that he jumped onto once seemed a luxurious ocean liner but now is a SINKING SHIP.
OF COURSE now that he sees that, lo and behold, he’s changing hi$ tune.
A cornered RAT.
This is a good sign.
He almost advertising for the job
This is the guy Obama - er, Brennan- replaced with a female lawyer, isn’t it?
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