Over the weekend President-elect Donald Trump told Fox News Sunday anchor Chris Wallace he doesn't need to take all of his daily intelligence briefings because he's a "smart person" who isn't interested in hearing "the same things."
"I'm a smart person, I don't need to be told the same things every single day for the next eight years," Trump said.
Efficiency is an important trait in a leader, but when it comes to intelligence briefings, repetition in a crucial component in fully understanding the daily threats facing the United States.
"[This] does not make sense to those of us who have been there and done it. The very reason is because a lot of times, the very fact of repetition is really important intelligence to have. It's the most crucial kind of intelligence that someone like the president is going to need when he's making decisions about military strategy and planning and also the deployment of military officers around the globe as well as intelligence assets," Gillian Turner, National Security staffer for Presidents Bush and Obama, said about the situation. "To me, if things are staying the same on the ground in any one area, I would want to know that. I think it's really his responsibility to get these intel briefings and I bet you $100 that once he's president he'll [do more]."
"My hope is that once he is the president he's going to realize he's going to need the best and the most information available to him," she continued.
Former CIA director and retired General Michael Hayden, former CIA director John MacLaughlin, former Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and other high ranking intelligence community officials have expressed concern about Trump skipping briefings.
Back in 2012 and again in 2014, Trump criticized President Obama for doing the same.
Priorities--while fundraising and campaigning on our dime, Obama has skipped over 50% of his intel briefings http://t.co/IhiIaKPa
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 11, 2012
Fact--Obama does not read his intelligence briefings nor does he get briefed in person by the CIA or DOD. Too busy I guess!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 30, 2014