After CNN reported Monday that the U.S. extracted one of its highest-level cover sources from Russia over concerns about President Trump’s ability to handle classified information, the CIA and White House Pushed back, with the intelligence agency calling it “misguided speculation.”
According to CNN, CIA director of public affairs, Brittany Bramell, told the network, “CNN’s narrative that the Central Intelligence Agency makes life-or-death decisions based on anything other than objective analysis and sound collection is simply false.
“Misguided speculation that the President’s handling of our nation’s most sensitive intelligence – which he has access to each and every day — drove an alleged exfiltration operation is inaccurate,” she continued.
Also according to CNN, White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said, “CNN’s reporting is not only incorrect, it has the potential to put lives in danger.”
The CNN piece, authored by chief national security correspondent Jim Sciutto, said, “The removal happened at a time of wide concern in the intelligence community about mishandling of intelligence by Trump and his administration. Those concerns were described to CNN by five sources who served in the Trump administration, intelligence agencies and Congress.”
A representative for CNN did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the pushback by the CIA and White House.