President Donald Trump poses a threat to American national security because he is vulnerable to being “played” by Russia, according to two former intelligence chiefs.

Their comments on Sunday came after Mr Trump tried to walk back his claim that he believed Vladimir Putin’s denials that Russia did not meddle in last year’s American election.

But John Brennan, former director of the CIA, and James Clapper, former director of the National Security Agency, condemned his refusal to push back hard against the Russian president Putin and his role in trying to sway the outcome.

Mr Brennan told CNN’s State of the Union: “I think it demonstrates to Mr Putin that Donald Trump can be played by foreign leaders who are going to appeal to his ego and try to play upon his insecurities, which is very, very worrisome from a national security standpoint.”

The American president has been dogged by questions about the Russia scandal during his five-nation visit to Asia.