Once the GOP secures its presidential nomination, former President Donald J. Trump is set to receive classified national security briefings, according to US intelligence officials.
Despite facing federal indictments, including allegations of retaining classified documents post-White House tenure and attempting to undermine the government while in office, the Biden administration plans to share intelligence with Trump, as disclosed by a senior intelligence official to Politico.
The decision to withhold classified intelligence briefings from Trump was made by President Biden early in his term, citing concerns over Trump’s “erratic” behavior. Notwithstanding legal challenges, the exchange of classified information among current and former US presidents regarding national security remains a customary practice.
Although there’s no constitutional mandate for in-person briefings, historical norms have seen incumbent administrations utilize intelligence agencies to brief candidates from both major political parties on pivotal national security matters. This customary practice has been in effect for 72 years.
Typically scheduled in the late summer after national conventions, these briefings are orchestrated by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and sanctioned by the White House.
Douglas London, a former CIA case officer, expressed to the outlet that a denial of intelligence sharing with Trump by the Biden administration might have adverse repercussions for the intelligence community.
He said that the decision could “taint them in the eyes of somebody who might very well be their boss again in a few months.”
Throughout his tenure on the campaign trail, Trump consistently targeted intelligence agencies, alleging that President Biden leveraged the Department of Justice to prosecute him as a political maneuver against his main rival.
In a disclosure to Politico, a senior US intelligence official expressed that rebuilding Trump’s trust stands as one of the foremost concerns for intelligence agencies.
As per the official, Trump is slated to receive briefings from the intelligence community in a manner consistent with how past presidential candidates have been briefed.
