Bloomberg’s Eli Lake: Brennan Needs to ‘Put Up or Shut Up’ if He’s Going to Spread McCarthyist Innuendo on Trump

Eli Lake says John Brennan needs to act more responsibly if he’s going to keep launching scathing criticisms against President Donald Trump.

After Trump lambasted Brennan earlier today, Lake spoke to CNN’s Brooke Baldwin and explained that its part of the president’s plan for casting the former CIA director as a new enemy he can rally his base against. Lake said Brennan is an ideal foe for Trump since he’s been the intelligence community figure with the sharpest criticisms against the administration. Moreover, the Bloomberg columnist says Brennan’s reckless comments hurt his own cause.

“He has often overstated the case [against Trump] and engaged in innuendo where there has been more responsible criticisms from former officials that haven’t gone as far,” Lake said. “Brennan is such an imperfect messenger. Trump has an instinct for that – and approaches like professional wrestling – and is looking for the right foil because he only really cares about the adulation of his base…and this is the perfect way to do it.”

As the CNN panel debated whether the president revoked Brennan’s security clearance to silence critics, Lake was eventually asked if there’s any validity to the idea that Brennan endangered national security with his anti-Trump commentary. Lake said Brennan has a right to criticize the president and the White House acted “petty” by revoking his security clearance, but he also said Brennan went too far for someone in his position by suggesting without proof that Russia might have blackmail on Trump.

“My point here is that very well may be true, but he really does have an obligation to put up or shut up,” Lake said. “I think you have to look at the fact that John Brennan has engaged in a kind of innuendo that really is a hallmark of the era of McCarthyism that is being accused of Trump.”

Watch above, via CNN.

[Image via screengrab]

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