Even as president, Donald Trump flaunted his animosity for intelligence officials, portraying them as part of a politicized "deep state” out to get him. And since he left office, that distrust has grown into outright hostility, with potentially serious implications for national security should he be elected again.
Citing his belief that his 2016 campaign had been spied on by the intelligence community, Trump on Wednesday urged his House allies to "kill” a bill that would extend an expiring surveillance law that national security officials say is crucial to their ability to gather foreign intelligence and fight terrorism on behalf of the country. The House approved the legislation Friday only after Republicans revised it to ensure that Trump would get another crack at shaping it to his liking if he wins the presidency again.
Indicted last year on charges of hoarding classified documents after leaving office and obstructing efforts to retrieve them, Trump has also translated his anger into legal arguments, telling a federal court that there is no reason to believe the "meritless claims” of agencies like the CIA regarding the "alleged sensitivities” of the files.
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