Former CIA Director John Brennan defended the New York Times op-ed written by an anonymous Trump administration official claiming to be part of a inside group working to thwart the president.

MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough noted that there were leaks in the Bush and Obama administrations, but never in “such a dramatic manner.”

“Is this a new chapter or have we seen it before?” he asked Brennan.

“I might will take issue with your premise,” Brennan replied. “I don’t think George Bush or Barack Obama said there was leaking around the clock. They were concerned about it.”

“But New York Times editorial to me is not a leak,” he continued. “It is an expression of deep concern and worry. It’s certainly reflective of what people a lot of people have been saying over the last year, that Donald Trump has not fulfilled his responsibilities.”

“So, I think there are a lot of people within the government that are quite frustrated with the situation and are now taking extreme measures to try to reassure the American people that there are people within the administration who are trying to counter what Donald Trump is doing.”

The Times editorial, published on Wednesday, sent the White House into a tailspin. Aside from declaring Trump unfit for office, the author wrote, “But we believe our first duty is to this country, and the president continues to act in a manner that is detrimental to the health of our republic.”

“That is why many Trump appointees have vowed to do what we can to preserve our democratic institutions while thwarting Mr. Trump’s more misguided impulses until he is out of office,” the official wrote.

The White House was caught off guard by the release of the op-ed, with Trump responding angrily during a White House event, and later took to Twitter to ask if the act constituted a crime: “TREASON?”

Watch above, via MSNBC.

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