Former intelligence officials worry Trump debt is counterintelligence risk
By Celine Castronuovo - 09/29/20 04:55 PM EDT
Some former intelligence officials are saying the alleged $421 million of debt owed by President Trump over the next four years could pose national security risks, Time magazine reported Tuesday.
Officials told Time that Trump, who the New York Times reported is in an audit fight with the IRS that could cost him an additional $100 million, could be easily influenced by those he owes money.
“For a person with access to U.S. classified information to be in massive financial debt is a counterintelligence risk because the debt-holder tends to have leverage over the person, and the leverage may be used to encourage actions, such as disclosure of information or influencing policy, that compromise U.S. national security,†said David Kris, former head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division and founder of Culper Partners consulting firm.
Robert Cardillo, former deputy director of the Defense Intelligence Agency and former director of National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, told Time that if Trump is reelected in November, the president could face “personal financial pressure [that] could adversely affect U.S. national security decisions.â€
Cardillo last week wrote an op-ed published in The Denver Post warning about Trump's "erratic" behavior.
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https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/518808-former-intelligence-officials-worry-trump-debt-is-counterintelligence
