Former CIA Director John Brennan said on
NBC's "Meet the Press" Sunday he was considering legal action to hit back after President Donald Trump revoked his security clearance last week.
Brennan told host Chuck Todd he was prepared to fight back against what he called "yet another example of his egregious abuse of power and authority" by Trump.
"If my clearances — and my reputation as I'm being pulled through the mud now — if this is the price we're going to pay to prevent Donald Trump from doing this to other people, to me it's a small price to pay," Brennan said. "If it means going to court, I will do that."
Brennan's clearance loss
set off a firestorm of commentary from both sides of the aisle, though the White House described the move as a necessary defense against Brennan's "erratic conduct and behavior".
Brennan's revocation could be the first of many
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Trump has said he is considering revoking clearance of several other former intelligence and legal officials, all of whom have been outspoken critics of him. Brennan said this motivation was a clear signal Trump was weaponizing his control over the access of former intelligence officials on a personal basis.
"It was a clear signal to others who still have their security clearances, both in the government as well as outside, that if you cross him, if you speak out against him, he is going to use whatever tools he might have at his disposal to punish you," Brennan said.