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Sen. Bennet Accuses Intelligence Leaders of Dishonesty Over Yemen Discussion

During a recent appearance on “Meet the Press,” Senator Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) criticized Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe for what he termed repeated falsehoods concerning discussions held in a Signal group chat regarding an operation in Yemen.

Bennet’s remarks came in response to NBC News’s Kristen Welker’s inquiry about the credibility of Gabbard and Ratcliffe following testimonies before the Senate Intelligence Committee. “No, I think they lied repeatedly to our committee and to the House committee,” Bennet asserted, emphasizing the gravity of their purported dishonesty. He further stated, “If this material was not classified, literally nothing that I’ve ever heard as a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee over all these years is classified.”

This incident has raised significant concerns within the intelligence community, with Bennet previously condemning the behavior of Trump administration officials as disrespectful to the intelligence officers who serve the nation. In a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing, he remarked, “This sloppiness, this incompetence, this disrespect for our intelligence agencies and the personnel who work for them is entirely unacceptable. It’s an embarrassment. Do better. You need to do better.”

Senator Mark Warner (D-Va.), the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, echoed Bennet’s criticisms. He highlighted the recklessness of Trump officials in violating security protocols by discussing crucial operations with journalists via Signal, noting the increased threat posed by adversaries like China and Russia seeking access to encrypted communications. Warner asserted, “There’s plenty of declassified information that shows that our adversaries, China and Russia, are trying to break into encrypted systems.” Moreover, he called out the Trump administration for consistent “careless, incompetent behavior” regarding classified information.

During his interview, Bennet emphasized the importance of nonpartisan leadership within the top ranks of the intelligence community. He stressed, “We need them to tell the truth to the American people.”

The Hill has reached out to both Gabbard’s office and the CIA for their responses to these serious allegations.

Source
thehill.com