PRESSURE MOUNTING: 135,000+ Petition DNI Clapper to Withhold Security Briefings from Trump

Pressure is building on Director of National Intelligence James Clapper not to allow Donald Trump to be given classified national security briefings. Since Wednesday:

135,000+ SIGN PETITION TO CLAPPER: More than 135,000 people have signed CREDO’s emergency petition urging Clapper to “withhold all classified national security briefings from Donald Trump.” The petition – which is rapidly gaining signatures right now – can be found here: http://act.credoaction.com/sign/trump_briefings/

SENIOR INTELLIGENCE OFFICIAL WOULD REFUSE TO BRIEF TRUMP: One senior intelligence official told the Washington Post that he would refuse to participate in a briefing with Trump, citing concerns about Trump’s affection for Vladimir Putin. Other intelligence officials echoed his concerns.

HOUSE DEMOCRAT URGES OBAMA TO CUT OFF TRUMP’S BRIEFINGS: Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, wrote to President Obama on Wednesday urging him to “withhold the intelligence briefing to Mr. Trump in the interests of national security.”

CLINTON CAMPAIGN SAYS TRUMP SHOULD GUARANTEE HE WON’T LEAK BEFORE RECEIVING BRIEFINGS: Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta said Thursday that “I think it’s an issue that … Jim Clapper’s going to have to come to grips with. And I think they’ll have to find a way to negotiate with him and with his campaign to get … more than assurances ― sort of some proof that they can be able to hold on to that information.”

HARD-HITTING VIDEO: TRUMP IS TOO DANGEROUS TO RECEIVE NATIONAL SECURITY BRIEFINGS: CREDO’S new one-minute video makes the case that Donald Trump should not receive classified national security briefings in light of his statement yesterday encouraging Russia to hack former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s email account. WATCH “TOO DANGEROUS”:

Given the unprecedented nature of Trump’s shocking call for Russian espionage against the United States, CREDO rejects Clapper’s irresponsible approach:

“Intelligence officials and the American people agree that Trump cannot be trusted with sensitive classified national security information,” said CREDO Senior Campaign Manager Heidi Hess. “James Clapper’s job is to protect our national security, not just bow to tradition in the face of a fascist candidate like Trump,” Hess continued. “Providing classified national security briefings to Trump would be a deeply irresponsible decision that would put our national security at risk,” she added.