Sen. Chris Murphy said Wednesday it was Donald Trump — not Hillary Clinton — who Americans should worry will divulge classified information.
Following House Republicans’ calls to bar Clinton from receiving classified information, Murphy defended the former secretary of state and cast doubt on Trump’s ability to keep state secrets during an interview with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer.
“I’ve frankly raised questions as to whether he can hold onto this classified information or whether he’s going to stand up in front of one of these rallies and blurt out something that could put this country at risk,” Murphy told Blitzer on “The Situation Room.”
Earlier Wednesday, House Speaker Paul Ryan called for Clinton to be barred from receiving briefings on national security issues usually provided to major party presumptive nominees by the director of national intelligence.
Ryan cited FBI Director James Comey’s findings that Clinton was “extremely careless” in handling classified information, telling reporters: “I think it’s the least we can do, given how she was so reckless in handling classified material and sending classified information on insecure servers.”
Murphy called Ryan’s comments “frankly ridiculous, but to be expected.”
The Connecticut Democrat, who led a 15-hour filibuster on gun control last month, described Trump as “somebody who is pretty clearly putting his political future and his business future first” and “his country second.”
“I certainly worry that he might do that with classified information as well,” Murphy added.
Although Murphy said he would leave it to intelligence officials to determine how much information to put in the briefings if they do decide to provide them them to both candidates, he suggested that officials “at least maybe give him a little bit of elementary education into the importance of classified information.”
He also defended Clinton: “The fact of the matter is that Hillary Clinton was a United States senator, was secretary of state, did an incredible amount of great work to keep this country safe during that time.”
