Ex-CIA official on Trump, Flynn: 'I'm watching a clown show'

Former CIA official Philip Mudd excoriated President-elect Donald Trump and his national security adviser on CNN Tuesday night, calling the Trump transition "a clown show."

Mudd, a counterterrorism analyst for CNN, denounced retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn for leading calls to imprison Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton during the presidential campaign and for past incendiary remarks about Muslims. The former CIA and FBI official also contrasted the Trump transition with that of former GOP presidents.


“We have a history of remarkable servants in the Oval Office and in the Situation Room under Republican presidents,” Mudd told CNN's Wolf Blitzer on "The Situation Room." “We transition now to a national security adviser in a political realm who argues that an opponent on the stump should be locked up in prison and who argues that a billion-plus Muslims should be grouped together."

Trump's appointment of Flynn, who has referred to Islam as a "cancer" and argued that "fear of Muslims is rational," has been challenged by numerous advocacy groups, with 53 organizations recently signing an open letter calling on Trump to rescind the pick.

Mudd went on to blast the Trump team for failing to pivot from a campaign to a proper administration.

"You want to tell me that we’re going to transition in the Situation Room to reality and I’m watching a clown show. I’ve had it with this, Wolf," he said. "I want to see a transition from a campaign to a reality and I don’t see it yet."

The former intelligence official also ripped the Trump camp over reports that security clearance had been requested for Flynn's son, Michael Flynn Jr., who has repeatedly circulated conspiracy theories online.

"We go on to argue that that individual’s son who retweets fake news should be given access to top secrets," Mudd said mockingly.

Marc Short, an aide to Vice President-elect Mike Pence, on Tuesday denied that security clearance had been sought. "I am denying that any security clearance was requested [for Michael Flynn Jr.] from any security agency that handles the clearance."