The top U.S. spy chief quasi-apologized to incoming president Donald Trump for the embarrassing recent intelligence leaks and trashed the dubious “Russian blackmail” dossier.
James Clapper, the outgoing director of national intelligence, assured Trump that the leaks to CNN and other media outlets did not come from any of the 17 U.S. intelligence agencies he oversees.
Clapper also underscored that the unverified “blackmail dossier” published by BuzzFeed “is not a U.S. Intelligence Community product.”
Clapper’s assertion appears to contradict the reporting of CNN, BuzzFeed, the New York Times, the Washington Post and other liberal mainstream media, which swore up and down that the leaks came directly from sources at the CIA, FBI and other intelligence agencies.
“I expressed my profound dismay at the leaks that have been appearing in the press, and we both agreed that they are extremely corrosive and damaging to our national security,” Clapper wrote. “I emphasized that this document is not a U.S. Intelligence Community product and that I do not believe the leaks came from within the IC.”
CNN and BuzzFeed — which published the unverified “blackmail dossier” they claim the Russians kept on Trump — have been widely criticized for reporting unconfirmed claims that BuzzFeed admitted were erroneous and unconfirmed.
“The allegations are unverified, and the report contains errors,” said BuzzFeed CEO Ben Smith.
While the left was hoping these unsubstantiated claims would damage Trump, the opposite happened, with both liberal and conservative journalists blasting CNN and BuzzFeed’s shoddy reporting.
Politico reporter Eric Geller was blown away by Clapper’s statement:
Wow. DNI James Clapper just issued a rare statement saying he expressed “profound dismay” to Trump tonight about kompromat leak. pic.twitter.com/Fq5zxF9uAh
— Eric Geller (@ericgeller) January 12, 2017
Thursday morning, the president-elect tweeted about the meeting:
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/819520238446411777
Meanwhile, Twitter had a field day:
https://twitter.com/redsteeze/status/819266205294923778
.@piersmorgan: Shame on you, @BuzzFeed https://t.co/0UiW4GEy0V pic.twitter.com/LT5Ugureni
— Daily Mail US (@DailyMail) January 11, 2017
Even DNI Clapper admits the CNN-Buzzfeed story was FAKE NEWS! MSM caught lying again, this is why nobody trusts the corrupt media!
— Makada (@_Makada_) January 12, 2017
CNN marched out Anderson Cooper to try and save themselves. Their stock tanked today as even Clapper admitted CNN got played by fake intel.
— Common Sense (@nevrcomplicated) January 12, 2017
Trump has since blasted BuzzFeed as a “failing pile of garbage” and scolded CNN, saying: “You are fake news.”
Watch fireworks at presser! Trump blasts ‘rude’ CNN reporter who won’t shut up: NO! ‘You are fake news!’ https://t.co/7yP3hw68Hw pic.twitter.com/Qi1q8k05kr
— michelekirkBPR (@michelekirkBPR) January 11, 2017
Bikers For Trump will defend Trump inauguration, warns rioters: Bring it on snowflakes!
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