Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), a candidate for Senate, said on Sunday that he hopes the U.S. intelligence community will “dumb down” briefings for Donald Trump after the former president all but secured the GOP nomination in the 2024 White House race.
The congressman discussed the issue in an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press” after moderator Kristen Welker asked Schiff whether he believes Trump should once again start receiving sensitive information given that he is being prosecuted by special counsel Jack Smith in a classified documents case.
“U.S. intelligence officials are planning to provide briefings for Donald Trump once he, if he, officially secures the nomination despite the fact that he’s facing 40 felony charges for his handling of classified documents. As the former chair of the House Intelligence Committee, do you think it’s appropriate for him to receive intelligence briefings?” Welker asked.
WATCH: Fmr. Intel Chair @RepAdamSchiff (D-Calif.) says he hopes the intelligence community will “dumb down” Trump’s briefings once he claims the nomination.
Schiff: “We can’t trust that he will do the right thing” with classified information revealing sources and methods. pic.twitter.com/AovCNLHkYe
— Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) March 10, 2024
“Well, that is the practice,” Schiff replied. “But we’ve never had a situation where one of the candidates for president has been so criminally negligent when it comes to handling — if not worse — when it comes to handling classified information. So I have to hope and knowing the intelligence community, as I do, that they will dumb down the briefing for Donald Trump.”
He added, “That is they will give him no more information than absolutely necessary. Nothing that would reveal sources or methods. Because we can’t trust that he will do the right thing with that information, he’s been so reckless. So yes, it does concern me, it is part of a long tradition. They will be wary of what they share with him and they should.”
Trump had a strong performance last week on Super Tuesday, putting him within striking distance of the 1,215 delegates needed to secure the GOP nomination. The former president got a boost when his last remaining top rival, Nikki Haley, suspended her campaign on Wednesday.
While intelligence briefings have been offered to presidential nominees since 1952, Trump is in a unique situation in that he is running while facing multiple criminal prosecutions. Trump has pleaded not guilty in all the cases he faces, claiming he is the victim of a politically motivated “witch hunt.”
Schiff served as the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee for several years, including as its chairman. But he was kicked off the panel last year by then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), who had accused Schiff of being a repeat liar, particularly with investigations related to Trump.
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The GOP-led House later voted to censure Schiff over allegations that he abused his access to sensitive information and misled the American people about Trump’s ties to Russia and more. The congressman rejected the censure resolution as a “sham” and said he would wear the rebuke as a “badge of honor.”
Last week, Schiff advanced to a U.S. Senate runoff in California. He is set to face off against former professional baseball player Steve Garvey, a Republican, in the November election.
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