Sen. Mark Warner Mark Robert WarnerFBI director casts doubt on concerns over mail-in voting fraud Democrats call for declassifying election threats after briefing by Trump officials It's time to upgrade benefits MORE (Va.), the senior Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, on Wednesday slammed President Trump Donald John TrumpSteele Dossier sub-source was subject of FBI counterintelligence probe Pelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' Trump 'no longer angry' at Romney because of Supreme Court stance MORE for setting “a dangerous precedent” by revoking the security clearance of former CIA Director John Brennan John Owen BrennanJournalism or partisanship? The media's mistakes of 2016 continue in 2020 Comey on Clinton tweet: 'I regret only being involved in the 2016 election' Ex-CIA Director Brennan questioned for 8 hours in Durham review of Russia probe MORE, who is a frequent critic.

Warner suggested that Trump was trying to distract attention from other issues by targeting former President Obama’s former intelligence chief.

“This might be a convenient way to distract attention, say a damaging story or two. But politicizing the way we guard our nation’s secrets just to punish the president’s critics is a dangerous precedent,” Warner said in a tweet.

This might be a convenient way to distract attention, say from a damaging news story or two. But politicizing the way we guard our nation’s secrets just to punish the President’s critics is a dangerous precedent. https://t.co/cXzgrLIwa3 — Mark Warner (@MarkWarner) August 15, 2018

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Trump, in a statement released earlier in the day, asserted that Brennan’s “lying and recent conduct characterized by increasingly frenzied commentary is wholly inconsistent with access to the nation’s most closely held secrets and facilities.”

The president said he has a “unique constitutional responsibility to protect the nation’s classified information.”

Trump is reviewing the access of other former officials who served in the Obama administration, such as former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper James Robert ClapperOn China, Biden is no Nixon — and no Trump The Hill's 12:30 Report - Speculation over Biden's running mate announcement Trump slams former intelligence officials to explain 'reluctance to embrace' agencies MORE, former FBI Director James Comey James Brien ComeySteele Dossier sub-source was subject of FBI counterintelligence probe Judge will not dismiss McCabe's case against DOJ Democrats fear Russia interference could spoil bid to retake Senate MORE, former National Security Agency Director Michael Hayden, former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates Sally Caroline YatesButtigieg, former officials added to Biden's transition team The Hill's 12:30 Report: Delegates stage state-centric videos for the roll call Trump fires back at Yates for convention speech: 'Terrible AG' MORE and former national security adviser Susan Rice.

These former officials have also criticized the president or administration policy.

Former Obama Secretary of State John Kerry John Forbes KerryThe Memo: Warning signs flash for Trump on debates Divided country, divided church TV ads favored Biden 2-1 in past month MORE, who once served as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, also blasted Trump’s decision.

“This is putting personal petty politics ahead of patriotism and national security, end of story,” he said in a tweet.

“You expect this banana republic behavior in the kind of countries that the State Department warns Americans not to travel to, but not at home in the USA,” he added.