Trump should not get classified intelligence briefings: US President Joe Biden

In an interview with Norah O’Donnell at the CBS Evening News, US President Joe Biden said that former US President Donald Trump should not receive the presidential intelligence briefings due to his “erratic behaviour”. 

Biden made the statement while building on the stance taken by his administration officials who have previously stated that they will look for guidance from US intelligence officials. 

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Biden cryptically hinted towards the violent attacks at the US Capitol on January 6 which left the US in never-seen-before political unrest and justified his statement by referring to the former President’s “erratic behaviour unrelated to the insurrection”, he said on CBS Evening News. 

Biden stood his ground on his previous statement of calling Trump dangerous, reckless and an existential threat when asked about his opinions. 

The US President’s bold statement continued, in which was his first network interview since his inauguration, when he was asked about his “worst fear” in relation to Trump getting his intelligence briefings. He said, “I’d rather not speculate out loud. I just think that there is no need for him to have the intelligence briefings. What value is giving him an intelligence briefing? What impact does he have at all, other than the fact he might slip and say something?”, he said in an interview with Norah O’Donnell. 

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US-based political analysts and former White House employees have previously highlighted their fears of Trump releasing classified information, either for personal gain or even without an agenda. 

Before Biden’s Presidential inauguration on January 6, which was not attended by Trump, Ron Klain, who was Biden’s pick for White House Chief of Staff, said that he will consider the idea of retaining intelligence briefings to Trump and would rather “look for a recommendation from the intelligence professionals in the Biden-Harris administration.”