In an attack on critics, Trump threatens to withdraw security clearances from former authorities

The White House threatened Monday to withdraw security clearances from six former US intelligence and security officials, including the CIA director at the time of Obama, John Brennan, as President Donald Trump considers it critical of his meeting last week with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said the Trump administration was also considering removing security clearances from former FBI director, James Comey, a Trump criticism rejected last year.

Former National Intelligence Director, James Clapper, former National Security Agency Director, Michael Hayden, National Security Advisor to former President Barack Obama, Susan Rice, and former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe, may also lose her licenses, says Sanders.

After Trump had accredited the Helsinki summit for Putin's refusals to participate in the 2016 US presidential election despite the findings of the US intelligence community, Brennan called Trump's comments of "Nothing less than traitors". In a post on Twitter on July 16, Brennan added that "not only were Trump's comments stupid, but he was completely in Putin's pocket."

"Accuse the President of the United States of Unfair Activities when you hold the highest level of security clearance, when you are the person who holds the most sacred and deepest secrets of the nation and that you make false accusations the president of the United States, he (the president) thinks it's something to be very worried.And we explore what these options are and what it looks like " , said Sanders

. When asked if Trump was punishing the former authorities for their criticism, Sanders replied, "No, I think you are creating your own stories."

"There is a legal process to do this, but you know that I think legally the president has this privilege" "Clapper told CNN." He can suspend or revoke the permissions as he wishes and I think he chooses to do it for political reasons, well, I think it's a terrible precedent.

Many former US authorities retain their security clearance after leaving their position because they continue to advise their former agencies or because it is a condition of employment as under -treatment or as consultants to the government.

The CIA and the Office of National Intelligence, which oversees all US intelligence agencies, said they have no comment on the White House threat.

Sanders said Trump "explores the mechanisms" to remove security clearances. and said that these authorities have become "politicized and, in some cases, have monetized their public services and security permits, making unfounded accusations of abusive contact with Russia or Russia's influences".