John Brennan: ‘We’re Hollowing Out the World’s Most Important and Most Influential Intelligence Agency, the CIA’

RUSH TRANSCRIPT:
>> And so.
>> Again, it’s very.
>> Unfortunate that Donald Trump.
>> Has been able to do this much. Different than.
>> In.
>> His first term.
>> Because in his.
>> First term, he had people.
>> Who were willing to push back. This time he does not.
>> Director brennan, while we have you, we do want to ask you about this news that Trump and DNI gabbard fired the top CIA Russia expert days after the Alaska summit. This was someone who worked grueling hours to help the president and his team prepare for this summit for high stakes diplomacy over Ukraine. And she was informed that her clearance to look at classified material was being stripped in her 29 year career in public service was essentially over. What’s your reaction to this?
>> That’s absolutely appalling. It is.
>> And the fact.
>> That, first of all, the current CIA director, John Ratcliffe.
>> Would not. Stand up.
>> For one of.
>> His employees.
>> An individual who.
>> Worked tirelessly.
>> Not just in the run up to the Putin.
>> Summit in Alaska.
>> But over the.
>> Course of her career. These are the professionals that. We really.
>> Rely on.
>> To make.
>> Sure that our national security is going. To be protected.
>> And so it has sent.
>> A very chilling, chilling message. Throughout the CIA workforce. And I know that many of these. Individuals in the CIA are worried. About their future.
>> And they’re trying their agonizing, quite frankly, over whether they want to.
>> Continue to be a part of.
>> Administration that.
>> Uses the institutions.
>> Of governance.
>> For.
>> Its own agenda, or whether or not they need to look elsewhere.
>> And so.
>> Again, this has just been.
>> Something that.
>> I know that our foreign counterparts.
>> The.
>> Intelligence services.
>> You know, of the great Britain and France and others are watching what.
>> Is happening here.
>> And we’re hollowing out the.
>> World’s most.
>> Important and most influential intelligence agency, the CIA, and doing it in a way.
>> That really.
>> Again.
>> Is trying to fulfill.
>> An.