Donald Trump could soon be getting intelligence briefings. "It could be a disaster," a former CIA an

[MinM]

@NPR

Donald Trump could soon be getting intelligence briefings. "It could be a disaster," a former CIA analyst says. https://t.co/dWPEI7A0GZ

[Reter]

1. They give briefings to candidates?

I can see if he was President-elect, but why now?

[GeorgeGist]

2. I agree ...

furthermore he should be required to obtain security clearance.

[teamster633]

3. If I understand correctly,

He won't get briefings until after the convention and the sitting president has some discretion as to what can be revealed. The practice dates back to Harry Truman when, upon FDR's death, he found out that he hadn't been informed about the Manhattan Project. I heard this on NPR recently.

[moondust]

4. Piss him off and he'll push the button, by God.

Even if he doesn't win the election, I could see him leveraging the knowledge gained from intelligence briefings to make more money and juice his juvenile ego trip.

[matt819]

5. Oh my

You know, I never had occasion to consider this previously. I just assumed they were given briefings because they were candidates. That's that.

I never thought about the clearance issue. IMHO, it's not enough that a person is a candidate for president and thus gets briefings. That person should be cleared in the same way anyone is cleared for whatever level of classification candidates are cleared for. Granted, Trump may be one of the most written about people in, well, forever, but that doesn't mean he's been the most investigated. As we all know by now, "the media" has given Trump a gold-plated get out of investigations free card. That's coming to an end now, but it still doesn't clear him for classified material.

[MinM]

6. US intelligence is 70% corporatized...

Good point by Tim Shorrock...

@TimothyS

US intelligence is 70% corporatized. So it's only natural that corporatized @realDonaldTrump would get daily intel briefings. Relax, people.

IIRC Allen Dulles actually gave JFK briefings about Cuban policy during the 1960 race. Which pissed off Nixon because the Cuban policy was his baby.