U.S. President Donald Trump is revoking the security clearance of former CIA director John Brennan, who served in the Obama administration.
White House spokesperson Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced the decision at a White House briefing Wednesday, following through on the president’s recent threat.
Sanders cited Brennan’s “erratic conduct and behaviour” and accused him of “lying” and “wild outbursts.”
She also claimed he’s “leveraged his status” to make unfounded allegations.
Brennan has been deeply critical of Trump’s conduct, calling his performance at a joint news conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Finland “nothing short of treasonous.”
Sanders said other former intelligence officials’ security clearances are also “currently under review.”
A spokesperson for Brennan, who was CIA director from 2013-17, declined to immediately comment.
The move came a day after he denounced Trump in a tweet for his criticism of Omarosa Manigault Newman, the former White House aide who wrote a book critical of the president.
“Its astounding how often you fail to live up to minimum standards of decency, civility, & probity. Seems like you will never understand what it means to be president, nor what it takes to be a good, decent, & honest person. So disheartening, so dangerous for our Nation,” Brennan wrote.
It’s astounding how often you fail to live up to minimum standards of decency, civility, & probity. Seems like you will never understand what it means to be president, nor what it takes to be a good, decent, & honest person. So disheartening, so dangerous for our Nation. <a href=”https://t.co/eI9HaCec1m”>https://t.co/eI9HaCec1m</a>
—@JohnBrennan
With files from Reuters