Trump yanked security clearances for officials who signed letter suggesting Hunter Biden laptop story was Russian operation
Ex-CIA head John Brennan claims Trump 'misrepresented' Hunter Biden laptop events
Former CIA Director John Brennan discussed his thoughts on President Donald Trump's executive order revoking his and several other officers' security clearances.
A writer from The Atlantic admitted dozens of intelligence officials "left the impression that they were on the Democratic team" by attempting to discredit the Hunter Biden laptop story.
President Donald Trump pulled the security clearances of 51 national security officials who said Hunter Biden’s laptop had "all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation." The officials had released a public letter in 2020 shortly before the election, claiming that even though the laptop did not have "any evidence of Russian involvement," it looked like a Russian information operation nonetheless.
The letter came after the New York Post reported on emails showing Hunter Biden coordinated for Joe Biden to meet with a top executive at Ukrainian energy company Burisma months before pressuring Ukrainian officials to oust a prosecutor investigating the company.
Atlantic writer Graeme Wood marveled at the turn of events in a piece headlined, "Turns Out Signing the Hunter Biden Letter Was a Bad Idea." He argued that while yanking the clearances was "petty and personal" amid a flurry of executive orders, it was one of the easier to defend.
President Donald Trump removed the security clearance from dozens of officials who signed an open letter claiming the Hunter Biden laptop narrative seemed like a Russian disinformation campaign. (AP/Alex Brandon/Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
"Why these titans of intelligence were willing to risk their hard-won credibility on the possibility that Hunter Biden might not be a slimeball is deeply mysterious," Wood wrote. "Even considering their caveats, somehow they signed and published their letter without due diligence and without the slightest consideration that Hunter was, in fact, prone to shady behavior. No doubt they felt that the laptop story was urgent, because it could affect the election in a few weeks."
The staff writer then juxtaposed how their job, in theory, "was to seek facts and judge them with restraint" with how "in this case, minimal fact-seeking would entail asking the Bidens if the sordid laptop was real, and restraint would entail not venturing wild accusations." He later argued that the letter overall "exhibited extremely shoddy analytic craftsmanship."
He outlined that the conduct of these intelligence officials ultimately discredited them before the American people.
"Because they were excessively generous to one candidate over the other, the letter signers left the impression that they were on the Democratic team—and, moreover, that they would lower their standards in order to influence an American election," the Atlantic writer argued. "Connoisseurs of irony will note that the CIA has, historically, had few scruples about influencing foreign elections, and will ask why they would hesitate to influence an American one. But to influence even a foreign election takes approval from the White House, and to influence a domestic one is flagrantly illegal."
President Donald Trump signs documents as he issues executive orders in Washington, U.S., January 20, 2025. (REUTERS/Carlos Barria)
Fox News Digital counted at least 13 letter signers who publicly endorsed Biden in 2020, including ex-Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, and ex-CIA Directors John Brennan, Leon Panetta and Michael Hayden.
The Atlantic author hedging that the motivations of the intelligence officials were "deeply mysterious" sparked mockery on social media.
"Yeah it's a huge mystery why they all did that," The Spectator contributing editor Stephen L. Miller joked, before referencing the show "Unsolved Mysteries." "Somebody dig up Robert Stack and get him on the case. We may never know the answer to this one."
He quipped further that the author’s phrase "titans of intelligence" should be "The Atlantic's masthead slogan."
"Dumbest headline in history, maybe," PJ Media columnist David P. Goldman suggested.
Fox News' Diana Stancy contributed to this report.
Alexander Hall is an associate editor for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to
