Newsnight 030417 Kirsty Wark 'Interviews' John Brennan

Tonight we have an exclusive interview with John Brennan.. (Obama's former head of the CIA {mentioned} and a sworn enemy of Trump {not mentioned}.

What does he think of the Presidential twitter strategy? (Clip - not much)

He warns about the dangers of America going it alone against North Korea and decries Trump's plans for a travel ban.

I began by asking him if President Trump is right to say, if China won’t solve the problem of North Korea, America will.

‘Very complex, too simplistic, etc.’

Q2 President Trump says, using the term Radical Islamic Terrorism will help the US win the war on terror: Do you agree with him

'No etc'

Q3 Do you think Donald Trump’s proposed ban on several Muslim majority countries will make America safer?

'No etc'

Q4 Do you think it will be counter-productive?

'Yes etc '

Q5 US intelligence is suggesting Wikileaks is helping the Russians do you think Julian Assange is being unwittingly used by the Russians?

'Yes and wittingly etc'

Q6 Why do you think Donald Trump is so well disposed towards Putin?

'You'd have to ask him'

Q7 But have you actually seen evidence that the Russians have compromising material on Trump?

'There are active investigations going on now, two investigations in Congress as well as the FBI'

Q8 But actually when Trump says only the fake news media thinks his team colluded with Russia, when the director of the FBI James Comey hasn’t ruled it out, clearly you’re not ruling it out either?

'These are ongoing investigations..'

Q9 Now the British Home secretary says UK government should be given access to whatsapp, security etc.

'blah blah'

Q10 In the lecture you’re giving tomorrow, the Dimbleby lecture, you’re saying very clearly that you’re concerned about the competence of some politicians to enter positions of authority who don’t have the skills for carrying out their solemn governmental responsibilities with competence, integrity and efficacy… who are you thinking of?

'Lots of people around the world etc..'

Q11 You talk about, though a variety of people – the kinds of people you might be talking about, and you said, if this person came from, even in an unrelated celebrity inducing field; you’re being coy, but you’re talking about Donald Trump aren’t you?

'Expressing my concerns about how important these gov't positions are.. whether some people with power & authority are up to the task etc..'

Q12 Was Donald Trump right to tweet his accusation that President Obama wire-tapped him before the election? Was he right to say that?

'tweets, he needs to tweet information that is accurate, measured, not impulsive'

Q13 But Donald Trump would say that the real story that’s going on at the moment is leaks for the intelligence community not the alleged links with Russia is he right?

'Leaks are appalling, need to stop'

Q14 One of Donald Trump’s first outings when he became President was to make a speech in front of the CIA memorial, in which he talked about his disputed inauguration attendance figures rather than actually paying tribute to the CIA agents who’d fallen in the course of duty; what went through your mind when you saw that?

'That wall of honour is hallowed ground for the agency, fine men, line of duty etc..'

Q15 Because you criticised Donald Trump for comparing intel agencies to Nazi Germany and I wondered how that was received by the intelligence community? Not what you said, what he said?

'Intelligence professionals.. don't do it for recognition etc, baseless criticism, impugning the integrity etc'

Q16 But just going back to that whole question about Barack Obama, the White House all but accused GCHQ of helping President Obama wire-tap Donald Trump, I mean was that justified? Did it damage the Five Eyes alliance?

Smiles & sighs - how ridiculous this is: 'Lot of things that have been tweeted that I'm mystified over..'

Q17 If, at the end of these investigations into the leaks it is found that there have been leaks buy CIA officers themselves they will undermine their own organisation, the organisation that you served for all these years. If that’s found to be the case..

'Releasing classified info, treasonous act, should be held to account, occasions where officers have gone bad..'

Q18 The Deep state?

'Individuals'

Q19 But you don’t believe in the Deep State

'No I don't, absolutely not, ridiculous'

Q20 But that’s what Steve Bannan, what Donald Trump thinks..

'Delusional'.

John Brennan thank you very much

'Thanks Kirsty'

Not a shred of balance or defence of Trump. No-one invited to challenge what was said. A simple, biased, unbalanced stitch up. 

Tonight the BBC gives him an uncluttered 45 minutes to continue his unchallenged criticism of Trump, the elected President of our most important trading partner and military ally in the world.

Surely a proper journalist would be challenging his position? 'For more than a year the world's best security agency, which you led, has been trying to find evidence against Trump. If there is any, why haven't you found it yet?' For example.

Good old BBC eh? Our national broadcaster. Really? Richard Dimbleby must be spinning.

It's on iPlayer, watch it yourself and see if you think this was journalism or pure propaganda.

Thanks for reading.

Loveliest of trees, the cherry now

Loveliest of trees, the cherry now 

Is hung with bloom along the bough, 

And stands about the woodland ride 

Wearing white for Eastertide. 

Now, of my threescore years and ten, 

Twenty will not come again, 

And take from seventy springs a score, 

It only leaves me fifty more. 

And since to look at things in bloom 

Fifty springs are little room, 

About the woodlands I will go 

To see the cherry hung with snow.

A.E Houseman. A Shropshire Lad