Former CIA analyst and former chief of staff to John Bolton ripped the Washington Post’s Greg Miller over this piece titled, “Gap continues to widen between Trump and intelligence community on key issues”:
Trump came into office rejecting US intel conclusions on Russia. His allergy to intel has only spread. He is now at odds with IC on array of global issues — North Korea, Iran, climate change, Khashoggi and others. https://t.co/oSz6nGBMjg
— Greg Miller (@gregpmiller) December 12, 2018
According to Fleitz, Miller “ignored most of what I told him” and misrepresented “the few quotes” that he used in the article:
1/ Very misleading fake news piece by @washingtonpost writer @gregpmiller . He ignored most of what I told him in an on-the-record interview and misrepresented the few quotes from m that he used. https://t.co/jTBxPTn3LL
— Fred Fleitz (@FredFleitz) December 11, 2018
Fletiz argued to Miller that contrary to his alleged preconceived notion, the relationship between the president and the intelligence community “has greatly improved”:
./2 It was clear when @gregpmiller started our phone interview that the outcome of this piece was a foregone conclusion. He wasnt interested in my assessment, based on my work in the NSC, that @realDonaldTrump 's relationship with the US IC is going well and has greatly improved
— Fred Fleitz (@FredFleitz) December 11, 2018
Fleitz named Bolton along with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and CIA Director Gina Haspel as helping to repair the damage:
./3 I tried to explain to @gregpmiller that @SecPompeo , @AmbJohnBolton and Gina Haspel have done an excellent job in repairing the damage done to the IC's relationship with @realDonaldTrump and restoring the president's confidence in the IC.
— Fred Fleitz (@FredFleitz) December 11, 2018
Fleitz singled out this specific passage as evidence his was misrepresented:
./4 Miller included the below text that did not accurately reflect what I told him. I was very clear that current and former IC officers — especially @JohnBrennan did enormous damage to the IC's relationship with @realDonaldTrump by their repeated attacks on him in the media. pic.twitter.com/56fkP3CJDB
— Fred Fleitz (@FredFleitz) December 11, 2018
And Fleitz argued that Miller left out John Brennan’s “poisonous smears” and Harry Reids as causes of the rift in the first place:
./5 I noted that these attacks included current and former IC officers claiming during the campaign in the summer of 2016 that they would refuse to brief @realDonaldTrump . I said @JohnBrennan 's poisonous smears of @realDonaldTrump have been very damaging to the IC.
— Fred Fleitz (@FredFleitz) December 11, 2018
./6 I also noted to @gregpmiller that there was no outcry from former or current IC officers when Senator Harry Reid said in August 2016 that IC officers should give @realDonaldTrump fake intelligence briefings. https://t.co/UPNXmJTQce
— Fred Fleitz (@FredFleitz) December 11, 2018
In summary, Fleitz called it “bad journalism”:
./7 So I'm annoyed with @gregpmiller that he omitted the reasons I spelled out to him in detail as to why I believe “The president had understandable reservations about the IC.” Bad journalism.
— Fred Fleitz (@FredFleitz) December 11, 2018
And “100% fake news”:
./8 @gregpmiller also did not accurately report what I told him about intelligence the President receives from @AmbJohnBolton . I said Bolton is a real asset to the President because he reads and absorbs so much intelligence and relays some of this to Mr Trump.
— Fred Fleitz (@FredFleitz) December 12, 2018
./9 Overall, this piece by @gregpmiller is 100% fake news. @realDonaldTrump has a good relationship with the IC. The prior bad relationship has been fixed. And Miller could not bring himself to admit that @AmbJohnBolton is one of the IC's best customers.
— Fred Fleitz (@FredFleitz) December 11, 2018
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