intelligence schmintelligence
Trump is reportedly declining opportunities to receive classified intelligence information
President-elect Donald Trump has reportedly made little time for classified intelligence briefings, current and former U.S. officials familiar with the matter told The Washington Post. Trump has received just two such briefings since winning the presidency more than two weeks ago, "a frequency that is notably lower — at least so far — than that of his predecessors," the Post noted.
Since his inaugural briefing within days of his Nov. 8 election victory, Trump has been briefed just once more, on Tuesday in New York. He then headed to Florida for the Thanksgiving holiday. "Trump has a lot of catching up to do," one senior U.S. official told the Post.
Trump's transition team dismissed the idea that Trump's decision to turn away briefing opportunities is a cause for concern, pointing to the fact that the president-elect has been busy vetting and appointing Cabinet and administration staff. Vice President-elect Mike Pence, by contrast, has made time in his schedule almost every day for these briefings. After winning the White House in 2008, President Obama took part in routine briefings, while former presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton also received daily briefings after their electoral victories.
A spokesman for the Director of National Intelligence, which produces the intelligence briefings, declined to comment to the Post, and spokesmen for Trump's transition team did not respond to requests for comment from the paper. Read more about the presidential intelligence briefing process at The Washington Post.