Trump dares Brennan to sue over clearances

President Trump on Monday dared former CIA Director John Brennan to sue him over his decision to revoke his security clearance.  

In a tweet, Trump claimed a lawsuit would reveal reams of documents that “show only the poor job he did, but how he was involved with the Mueller Rigged Witch Hunt.”

“I hope John Brennan, the worst CIA Director in our country’s history, brings a lawsuit,” Trump wrote.

I hope John Brennan, the worst CIA Director in our country’s history, brings a lawsuit. It will then be very easy to get all of his records, texts, emails and documents to show not only the poor job he did, but how he was involved with the Mueller Rigged Witch Hunt. He won’t sue!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 20, 2018

Because of the damaging information he claims would come out, Trump added of Brennan: “He won’t sue!”

{mosads}Trump in a separate tweet pushed back against dozens of former U.S. intelligence and national security officials who have come to Brennan’s defense after the president’s announcement.

“Everybody wants to keep their Security Clearance, it’s worth great prestige and big dollars, even board seats, and that is why certain people are coming forward to protect Brennan,” Trump wrote. “It certainly isn’t because of the good job he did! He is a political ‘hack.'”

Everybody wants to keep their Security Clearance, it’s worth great prestige and big dollars, even board seats, and that is why certain people are coming forward to protect Brennan. It certainly isn’t because of the good job he did! He is a political “hack.”

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 20, 2018

The comments marked the latest volley in the war of words between Trump and Brennan following the president’s controversial decision to pull the former spy chief’s security clearance. 

Brennan, one of the president’s most vocal critics, said Sunday he is considering taking legal action against the Trump administration to block the president from revoking other officials’ clearances. 

“If my clearances and my reputation as I’m being pulled through the mud now, if that’s the price we’re going to pay to prevent Donald Trump from doing this against other people, to me it’s a small price to pay,” Brennan said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

“I’m going to do whatever I can personally to try to prevent these abuses in the future and if it means going to court, I will do that,” he added.

After revoking Brennan’s clearance, Trump said he is considering pulling the clearances of several other former intelligence officials involved in special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. 

Legal experts said Trump, and not Brennan, could be at greatest risk if the former CIA director decides to bring a lawsuit against the administration.

“You, or whomever occasionally tweeting for you, have zero clue how this legal process works. First, you have @JohnBrennan govt info already. … Second, likely discovery, if any, only against you. Third, he’d win on process. I’d rep him in heartbeat,” tweeted national security lawyer Mark Zaid.

You, or whomever occasionally tweeting for you, have zero clue how this legal process works. First, you have @JohnBrennan govt info already. SMH. Second, likely discovery, if any, only against you. Third, he’d win on process.

I’d rep him in heartbeat. https://t.co/7BEir2hpHt

— Mark S. Zaid (@MarkSZaidEsq) August 20, 2018

Updated at 10:40 a.m.