President Donald Trump And Intelligence Community Seem To Have Reconciled | Morning Joe

>>> IN HIS FIRST PUBLIC ADDRESS SINCE BECOMING CIA DIRECTOR,
MIKE POMPEO LAUNCHED HARSH CRITICISM AT WIKILEAKS AND
JULIAN ASSANGE. >> AS LONG AS THEY MAKE A
SPLASH, THEY CARE NOTHING ABOUT THE LIVES THEY PUT AT RISK OR
THE DAMAGE THEY CAUSE TO NATIONAL SECURITY.
WIKILEAKS WALKS LIKE A HOSTILE INTELLIGENCE SERVICE AND TALKS
LIKE A HOSTILE INTELLIGENCE SERVICE.
IT'S TIME TO CALL THEM OUT FOR WHAT IT REALLY IS, NONSTATE
HOSTILE INTELLIGENCE SERVICE EMBEDDED BY PLAYERS LIKE RUSSIA.
>> SHORTLY AFTER YESTERDAY'S SPEECH, WIKILEAKS POSTED A NOW
DELETED TWEET FROM LAST SUMMER WHERE POMPEO HIGHLIGHTED THE
ORGANIZATION'S WORK, PUBLISHING LEAKED DOCUMENTS FROM THE DNC.
SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST AND CO-FOUNDER OF THE INTEGRITY
NETWORK, WHO HOSTED THE FORUM YESTERDAY WITH THE CIA DIRECTOR.
IT MUST BE FASCINATING. HE ALSO TALKED ABOUT MICROWAVES.
>> PEOPLE WEREN'T QUITE SURE WHAT THE DIRECTOR WAS GOING TO
TALK ABOUT. >> OKAY.
>> BIG CROWD AND A LOT HE COULD TALK ABOUT.
SYRIA, ISIS. HE WANTED TO TALK ABOUT
WIKILEAKS. ONE REASON WAS THE FACT THAT
WIKILEAKS HAS TAKEN AIM AT THE CIA DIRECTLY.
HE IS NOW THE DIRECTOR AND -- >> PUSHING BACK.
>> PUSHING BACK. WIKILEAKS IS THE ROBINHOOD OF
FIRST AMENDMENT NARRATIVES. HE WANTED TO DEMONSTRATE THAT HE
HAS A VOICE IN THESE NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUES AND HE HAS
BECOME A CRITICAL VOICE. HE LAID OUT YESTERDAY THE FACT
THAT HE SEES THE PRESIDENT JUST ABOUT EVERY DAY.
HE'S BRIEFING HIM. HE SAYS THE PRESIDENT GIVES HIM
LOTS OF TIME. SO I THINK HE WAS TRYING TO
SHAPE A NARRATIVE NOT JUST ABOUT WIKILEAKS BUT THE ROLE OF THE
INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE AND HOW THAT'S PLAYING OUT IN A NEW
ADMINISTRATION. >> DAVID, WHAT DID YOU LEARN
YESTERDAY? >> I THOUGHT POMPEO WAS MORE
FORTHCOMING, TALKED MORE ABOUT POLICY, TO BE HONEST, AS OPPOSED
TO JUST INTELLIGENCE, THAN I HAD EXPECTED.
WHAT I WANTED TO ASK YOU, JUAN, THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY HAS
BEEN UNDER ATTACK FROM THIS PRESIDENT BEFORE HE WAS
INAUGURATED AND WE'RE TOLD PEOPLE'S MORALE WAS HIT FOR A
WHILE. DO YOU HAVE A SENSE THAT THE
AGENCY, INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY ARE RECOVERING AND HOW IS POMPEO
DOING IN LEADING THAT GROUP OF PRETTY BRUISED INDIVIDUALS RIGHT
NOW? >> IN FACT, I ASKED HIM THAT
QUESTION YESTERDAY AND HE SAID THE RELATIONSHIP IS ACTUALLY
FANTASTIC AND YOU GOT SOME GIGGLES IN THE CROWD AS A
RESULT. BUT HE WAS HONEST ABOUT THAT.
I THINK MORALE IS MUCH BETTER THAN PEOPLE HAD THOUGHT.
WE TALKED ABOUT THIS YESTERDAY, DAVID, IN A PANEL THAT YOU
HOSTED. I THINK MORALE IS MUCH BETTER
AND EVENTS LIKE THIS ARE AN ATTEMPT BY THE DIRECTOR TO NOT
ONLY DEFEND THE INTEREST OF THE AGENCY AS A WHOLE BUT TO SIGNAL
BACK INTO LANGLEY THAT THIS IS A DIRECTOR THAT HAS THEIR BACK,
THAT'S WILLING TO DEFEND THE INTEREST OF THE AGENCY AS A
WHOLE. AND YOU HEARD THROUGHOUT HIGH
PRAISE FROM THE DIRECTOR OF THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE CIA AND IT
WAS A RECRUITMENT TOOL, TOO. HE WAS CALLING ON PEOPLE TO
APPLY THE CIA. I THINK FROM HIS PERSPECTIVE,
MORALE IS MUCH BETTER AND THE FACT THAT THE PRESIDENT AND THE
WHITE HOUSE ARE NOW FOCUSING ON AND RELYING ON INTELLIGENCE --
FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE SYRIAN REACTION, THAT IN AND OF ITSELF
IS A GOOD SIGNAL. AND I THINK THIS WILL MATURE
OVER TIME, AS WE TALKED ABOUT YESTERDAY.
>> IS THERE A MAN WHO CAN TALK BACK TO DONALD TRUMP?
>> I THINK SO. YOU HEARD THIS YESTERDAY.
HE SAID, LOOK, WE ARE PRESENTING THINGS TO THE PRESIDENT THAT RUN
COUNTER TO SOME OF HIS ASSUMPTIONS.
AND THE PRESIDENT ACTUALLY IS ACCEPTING THAT.
AND IS WILLING TO HEAR THAT. AND I THINK DIRECTOR POMPEO IS A
SMART MAN. HE GRADUATED NUMBER ONE IN HIS
CLASS FROM WEST POINT. >> SOMETHING THAT DONALD TRUMP
WILL TELL YOU ANY TIME YOU BRING HIS NAME UP.
TRUMP RESPECTS THAT. AND HE RESPECTS POMPEO.
WHICH GOES TO THE QUESTION OF WILL HE LISTEN TO POMPEO?
APPARENTLY HE IS. >> ABSOLUTELY.
AND THAT'S THE BENEFIT OF HAVING THE SILVER BACKS AROUND
PRESIDENT TRUMP. YOU'VE GOT SOMEBODY LIKE POMPEO,
WHO BRINGS A LOT OF RESPECT WITH HIM.
TILLERSON WHO IS WELL KNOWN AND WELL RESPECTED, MATTIS, MAD DOG.
ALL THESE CHARACTERISTICS PLAY TO WHAT PRESIDENT TRUMP PROBABLY
LIKES, WHICH IS BIG BOYS AND GIRLS IN THE ROOM WHO CAN TELL
IT LIKE THEY SEE IT. AND HE PROBABLY DOES LISTEN.
AND I THINK, AGAIN, THE ENCOURAGING NOTE HERE IS THAT
THE ADMINISTRATION IS TAKING IN INTELLIGENCE.
IT'S QUESTIONING IT. AND WHAT MIKE POMPEO SAID
YESTERDAY IS THEY ARE TAKING IT IN IN MASSIVE AMOUNTS.
THERE'S A REAL DEMAND FOR IT. YOU SEE WHY.
YOU HAVE SYRIA, NORTH KOREA, ALL THESE QUESTIONS WHERE STENLGS
CRITICAL. >> WHERE DID YOU PICK UP IS HIS
AND THE CIA'S GREATEST AREA OF CONCERN RIGHT NOW?
WE HEAR A LOT ABOUT NORTH KOREA RIGHT NOW.
OBVIOUSLY, RUSSIA IS ALWAYS ON THE RADAR.
WHAT DO THEY SEEM TO BE MOST FOCUSED ON AND MOST WORRIED
ABOUT? >> WE DID A TOUR OF THE WORLD IN
60 MINUTES. EVERYTHING FROM NORTH KOREA TO
TERRORISM TO RUSSIA. THERE IS A LOT OF CONCERN AROUND
NORTH KOREA. THE DIRECTOR SAID LOOK, THIS
ADMINISTRATION IS NOW SADDLED WITH THE FACT THAT NORTH KOREA
IS MUCH CLOSER TO NUCLEAR CAPABILITIES AND NUCLEAR
CAPABILITIES THAT CAN THEN BE DEPLOYED POTENTIALLY ON A
MISSILE THAT CAN REACH THE U.S. HOMELAND.
THAT IS A GAME CHANGER AND THAT'S WHY PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS
SAID -- AND YOU HEARD SECRETARY OF STATE TILLERSON SAY THIS
STRATEGY OF STRATEGIC PATIENCE IS OVER VIS-A-VIS CHINA
POSTURING MORE. THE "USS CARL VINSON" MOVING
INTO THE SPACE, PREEMPTIVE ATTACK.
ALL OF THIS IS A SIGNAL CHANGE THE LANDSCAPE AND THE DYNAMIC.
MY SENSE IS THAT THEY'RE REALLY WORRIED ABOUT THIS.
NORTH KOREA IS A WILD CARD AND THAT'S A REAL DANGEROUS
SITUATION. >> LET ME ASK YOU QUICKLY --
ACTUALLY, I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS TO ASK.
I ONLY HAVE TIME FOR ONE. LET'S SEE.
>> FLIP A COIN. >> I WANTED TO ASK YOU THE
DOWNSIDE OF PEOPLE QUIETLY CELEBRATING RUSSIA.
I'LL ASK MY TILLERSON QUESTION LATER.
SO, WHAT IS THE DOWNSIDE OF THESE NEGATIVE RELATIONS WITH
RUSSIA? WE'VE ALL BEEN SO SUSPICIOUS OF
THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S CLOSE TIES TO RUSSIA THAT WE'RE
ALMOST -- EVERYBODY IS BREATHING A SIGH OF RELIEF THAT WE'RE NOW
BACK TO COLD WAR STATUS WITH RUSSIA.
WHAT'S THE DOWNSIDE OF THAT? AND WHAT'S THE UPSIDE OF
ACTUALLY HAVING A GOOD RELATIONSHIP?
>> THE DOWNSIDE IS IT'S JUST TOO DANGEROUS TO HAVE TWO SO HEAVILY
ARMED POWERS IN A CONFRONTATIONAL MODE.
IT WAS SOMETHING THAT PRESIDENT OBAMA KIND OF LET GET OUT OF
HAND. AND I THINK TRUMP WAS RIGHT TO
SAY THAT WE SHOULD WORK TO GET A MORE STABLE RELATIONSHIP AND
REDUCE ATTENTION AND DANGER WHERE POSSIBLE, WHERE INTERESTS
COINCIDE, WORK TOGETHER. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE
ACTIVITIES OF THE RUSSIAN INTELLIGENCE SERVICE IN OUR
ELECTIONS OVERLAY ALL OF THIS. AND SOMEHOW HE HAS GOT TO
SEPARATE IT. HE HAS TO SAY ON THE POLITICAL
PLANE I HAVE INSTRUCTED MY SECRETARY OF STATE TO HAVE
SERIOUS CONVERSATIONS WITH PRESIDENT PUTIN TO RESOLVE OUR
PROBLEMS. MEANWHILE, THE FBI WILL HAVE
THIS INVESTIGATION AND IT WILL LEAD TO WHEREVER IT DOES.
THAT'S THE TRICK, TO GET THE TWO GOING STRONGLY.
>> I WORKED WITH THE RUSSIANS. WE NEEDED TO WORK WITH THEM ON
COUNTERTERRORISM, COUNTERPROLIFERATION,
COUNTERNARCOTICS. THE CHALLENGE, JOE, IS THAT THEY
CAN BE A HUGE DISRUPTER. THEY CAN THREATEN NATO PARTNERS.
THEY CAN DO THINGS IN CYBERSPACE.
THIS IS A REALLY POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION.
YOU NEED THEM ON YOUR SIDE IN MANY WAYS.
YOU DON'T WANT TO BE CONFRONTATIONAL AAT ALL TIMES
BUT YOU DO NEED TO PUSH BACK. WILLINGNESS TO PUSH BACK IN WAYS
THAT THE PRIOR ADMINISTRATION ISN'T WILLING TO, IN THE WAY
THAT IS DEMONSTRATIVE, TO EFFECT THINGS LIKE CHINA'S RELATIONSHIP
WITH NORTH KOREA? >> I KNOW WE HAVE TO GO.
THE LAST ADMINISTRATION WASN'T WILLING TO PUSH BACK ON RUSSIA.
YET THE RELATIONSHIP DETERIORATED.
>> PUTIN BEGAN TO TAKE HIM FOR GRANTED, TAKE HIM AS A JOKE.
HE THOUGHT HILLARY CLINTON WAS HIS WORST ENEMY.
YOU KNOW, HE GOT PRETTY ARROGANT TOWARD THE END THERE.
>> PUTIN? >> PUTIN, YEAH.
>> JOE, PART OF IT WAS WE CONTINUE TO GO BACK TO MOSCOW.
YOU LOOK AT THE TRAJECTORY OF WHAT HAPPENED.
EVEN THE CHEMICAL WEAPONS DEAL. WE RELIED ON RUSSIA TO PULL US
OUT OF THAT SITUATION AND ALL ROADS THEN LED TO MOSCOW.
YOU SAW LOTS OF MIDDLE EAST LEADERS GOING TO MOSCOW.
NETANYAHU FROM ISRAEL HEADING TO MOSCOW.
EVERYONE WAS FACING TOWARD RUSSIA.
IT PUT RUSSIA IN A MUCH MORE POWERFUL POSITION, EVEN TO THE
POINT WHERE THEY WERE HAVING PEACE NEGOTIATIONS IN SYRIA
WITHOUT THE UNITED STATES. >> AND LET US JUST SAY, MUCH
MORE POWERFUL POSITION UNTIL LAST THURSDAY NIGHT.
>> WELL -- >> MOST OF US WOULD AGREE THAT
DYNAMIC SHIFT AID BIT. >> AS THE WHITE HOUSE OFFICIAL
SAID, THEY ARE CATCHING, FOR A CHANGE, INSTEAD OF PITCHING.
>>

President Donald Trump And Intelligence Community Seem To Have Reconciled | Morning Joe | MSNBC

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