In an interview with a Belgian state television that aired on Sunday, former CIA Director John Brennan attacked former President Trump, asserting that Trump lacks the qualifications to manage national security issues.
“I think he didn’t believe what we were telling him,” Brennan told RTBF, alluding to a national security discussion he attended with Trump prior to his inauguration in 2017.
“And he was especially trying to find out how we knew about Russian interference in the election,” he said.
“In my opinion, he lacked eligibility both then and currently.” We could see that he did not appreciate the significance of the United States’ relations with its overseas allies and partners. He has no regard for the transatlantic connection, or NATO.”
In the interview, Brennan voiced concern that the previous president would not help Ukraine in its struggle against Russia.
He said Trump may undercut Kyiv in a variety of ways, including instructing American intelligence not to assist Ukrainian counterparts or cutting off financial and military cooperation.
“And that would give Vladimir Putin the green light to try to almost swallow up Ukraine,” Mr. Brennan added. “And unfortunately, I think it will encourage [Russian President Vladimir Putin] to look hungrily toward the rest of Europe.”
Brennan, who was CIA director under previous President Barack Obama, is a frequent opponent of his successor. In the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election, Brennan stated that he intended to “ignore Trump” and “leave his fate to our judicial system, his infamy to history, [and] his legacy to a trash heap.”
“For four years, I spoke out vigorously against Donald Trump’s craven dishonesty, corrupt pursuit of personal interests, and trampling of our democratic principles,” Brennan said in a series of messages on Twitter in November 2020. “After serving over three decades in national security, I felt compelled to condemn Trump’s depravity and incompetence.”
