Trump Reveals GENIUS Reason He Refuses Intel Briefings

On Wednesday former President Donald Trump said that he would decline the intelligence briefings usually offered to presidential nominees. The GOP candidate relayed his concerns about being accused of leaking classified information if he were to accept them. Typically, U.S. intelligence agencies provide these briefings to candidates to prepare them for the responsibilities of the presidency.

This comes amid the controversies following the FBI’s discovery of government documents, including classified material, at his Mar-a-Lago residence. Democrats have raised claims about Trump’s reliability with sensitive information. In an interview with DailyMail, Trump stated that although he is eligible to receive the briefings, he perceived it as a potential setup and chose to avoid it.

These briefings are not mandated by law and there is uncertainty whether the Biden administration would even extend the privilege to Trump. Previously Biden had prohibited Trump from receiving any post-presidential intelligence briefings, citing concerns over Trump’s behavior and trustworthiness. This was also before Trump faced indictment related to handling classified documents. The intelligence briefings typically occur in late summer or early fall, offering a broad overview of national security issues. The more detailed, sensitive information is only shared after a candidate has been elected.

“I don’t want that, because as soon as I get that, they’ll say that I leaked it,” Trump said. “So the best way to handle that situation is, I don’t need their briefing. They come in, they give you a briefing, and then two days later they leak it, and then they say you leaked it. So the only way to solve that problem is not to take it.”

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The briefings offered to presidential nominees are part of a long-standing tradition designed to prepare the potential next president of the United States for the complexities of national security and international affairs. These typically start after a candidate has officially secured their party’s nomination. The content of these briefings is broad and designed to provide an overview of critical security concerns, without delving into the operational details reserved for the elected president.

The practice of providing classified intelligence briefings to presidential nominees began in 1952. President Harry S. Truman initiated the tradition during the Cold War era. Truman believed that the presidential candidates needed to be informed about national security issues to ensure a smooth transition of power and immediate readiness to handle crises upon taking office. The decision was influenced by Truman’s own experiences; he felt unprepared for some aspects of the presidency when he took office in 1945 after President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s sudden death.

While the briefings are designed to prepare potential presidents, they are intentionally somewhat limited in scope. The content of the briefings can be customized to the interests and the requests of the nominees. For instance, if a nominee has a particular focus on a region or a global issue, the briefings can include detailed information relevant to those interests.

The briefings are conducted in a secure facility, usually at a secure location like the FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C., or sometimes even at a facility close to the candidate’s home to ensure security and confidentiality. During the 1960 campaign, both John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon received the same intelligence briefings. Kennedy’s active questioning and engagement with the briefings reportedly contrasted with Nixon’s approach.

There have been notable instances where the intelligence briefings had significant impacts on the candidates as well. After receiving a briefing about the Soviet missiles in Cuba, Kennedy became intensely involved in the issue, which later defined part of his presidency during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

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