much lower number than his predecessors and lower even than Vice President-elect Mike Pence.
A senior
intelligence official cautioned that it is too early to know what the
significance of Trump's sparse briefing schedule really is, given that he is in
the middle of his transition process.
But the news, first
reported by the Washington Post,
will likely fuel critics who've questioned Trump's knowledge of foreign affairs
and national security issues.
While a team of intelligence analysts remains ready and waiting to deliver briefings to the president-elect, sources told NBC News he has accepted them only twice. Instead, Trump has turned the briefings down to focus on meetings with potential cabinet members, media executives and business associates.
Vice President-elect Mike Pence, on the other hand, has received the briefings nearly every day, the sources said.
The President's Daily Brief is a document that includes top-secret information and are meant to provide presidents-elect with an overview of security developments and the workings of the U.S. intelligence community and defense apparatus.
It could offer Trump
an opportunity to study up on foreign policy, a key issue where Trump's lack of
knowledge during the campaign drew him criticism even from Republicans,
prompting a number of GOP national security experts to speak out against him
and sign letters denouncing him.
During the course of
his campaign, Trump exhibited a lack of understanding basic foreign policy
concepts, and was at separate times unable to distinguish between the Iranian
Quds Force and the Kurdish people, or define the nuclear triad.
At one point, during
an interview with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt, Trump was unable to
distinguish between Hamas, the Sunni militant group in Gaza, and Hezbollah, the
Shiite group in Lebanon and Syria.
At the time, Trump
told Hewitt he'd learn the difference between the two "when it's
appropriate," and boasted, "I will know more about it than you
know."
NBC News
Follow Solenzo Blog on
0 Comments