Former CIA Director John Brennan has taken to Twitter again to criticize US President Donald Trump's foreign policy, specifically his tariff rows with numerous American allies. According to Brennan, using a "blunt force instrument" like tariffs against the country's partners is not only "short-sighted," but also helps Russia and China.
Brennan also scolded Trump's "bombastic rhetoric" in his exchange with Iran, claiming that the US needs to act "smarter, more sophisticated," when dealing with the Islamic Republic.
Using tariffs as a blunt force instrument against allies and partners is not only short-sighted but also plays into the hands of Russia and China. Same is true with bombastic rhetoric against Iran. We need to be smarter, more sophisticated, more strategic. https://t.co/bMMwsWCR2y
— John O. Brennan (@JohnBrennan) July 24, 2018
The ex-CIA chief's comment comes the day after the White House announced that it is considering revoking Brennan's security clearance in light of his recent criticism of Trump. The announcement came after the former top spy called Donald Trump's speech in Helsinki "treasonous," blaming him for mistrusting the reports of his own intelligence services in regards to Russia's alleged meddling in the US election.
READ MORE: Trump Considering Revoking Brennan's, Comey's Security Clearances
He was not the only one in the US to criticize Trump's statements, which allegedly indicated that he trusted President Putin's word that Moscow had never meddled in the US election. A number of Democrats and Republicans also found his statements to be inappropriate. Trump later backtracked from some of what he said in Helsinki, claiming that he had misspoken and never meant to appear as though he did not trust the US intelligence agencies or their reports.
READ MORE: Trump Reportedly Forced to Make U-Turn on Russia After Fury Over Helsinki Summit
Putin and Trump met in Helsinki for their first one-on-one meeting on July 16, 2018. Both leaders discussed relations between two countries, cooperation in Syria and Russia's alleged meddling in the US presidential election in 2016, something that Moscow vehemently denies. Trump and Putin labeled their talks a success and have agreed to continue their dialogue. Just days after summit, the White House reported that it was working on having Putin visit Washington in fall 2018.
