Donald Trump, the former president and current Republican nominee for president, has made a surprising decision: he’s turning down intelligence briefings. These are special updates given to candidates to prepare them for the complex role of commander in chief, but Trump says he doesn’t want them.
Why? Trump told Daily Mail in an exclusive interview that he fears being set up. He believes if he takes the briefings, critics will accuse him of leaking classified information, something he’s been under fire for in the past. This decision comes after a major controversy—when the FBI found classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida. Even though a court dismissed the charges related to those documents, questions about Trump’s handling of sensitive information haven’t gone away.
Intelligence briefings are nothing new. They’ve been given to presidential candidates since the 1950s to help them understand national security threats and prepare for office. The idea is to make sure the transition to the presidency is smooth and to avoid saying anything that could endanger the country. But Trump is rejecting this tradition. He says he knows enough about what’s going on already and fears being blamed for something he didn’t do.
Trump explained his decision like this: if he gets the briefing and classified information leaks later, he thinks he’ll be the first one blamed, even if he wasn’t responsible. To avoid this, he’s simply opting out. He said, “As soon as I get that, they’ll say I leaked it,” and added, “I don’t need that briefing.”
Trump’s comments came after a speech in North Carolina where he discussed his plans for national security, including a call for the resignation of officials involved in the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan. He has been hitting the campaign trail hard, rallying support in key states while Democrats hold their convention elsewhere.
Trump also took aim at his potential opponents. He harshly criticized President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, saying they are leading the country down the wrong path. He went so far as to call Harris a “Marxist” who would “destroy” America if she became president.
This refusal to take briefings is a big deal because former presidents typically continue to receive these updates even after leaving office. However, back in 2021, President Biden cut Trump off from receiving them, saying Trump’s “erratic behavior” made him a risk. This was a rare move, especially since past presidents like Obama and Bush continued to get briefings.
As Trump powers through his campaign, he’s facing another challenge: earlier this year, he was charged with 40 felony counts for allegedly keeping classified documents after leaving office. Although the charges were recently dropped, prosecutors are appealing that decision. Despite all this, intelligence officials confirmed Trump would still be offered the usual briefings as the Republican nominee, no matter what legal issues he’s facing.
In the end, Trump believes skipping the briefings is the safest choice for him. “I’ll have plenty of them when I get in,” he said, confident that he will return to the White House.
This decision highlights the tension between Trump’s candidacy and the ongoing concerns about how he handles national security. The stakes are high, and all eyes are on what Trump says and does next as he barrels toward another possible term in office.
