Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said Tuesday on “The View” that Donald Trump should be “happy” that at least one FBI informant made contact with members of his 2016 presidential campaign.

That’s because, he said, the FBI was trying to “protect the campaign.”

WATCH:

Clapper tried to drive home his point that an FBI informant in the Trump campaign had to do with “the Russians, not spying on the campaign.”

“What they were trying to do was protect our political system and protect the campaign,” he said.

“Was the FBI spying on Trump’s campaign?” co-host Joy Behar asked Clapper.

“No, they were not,” he replied. “They were spying, a term I don’t particularly like, on what the Russians were doing, trying to understand, were the Russians infiltrating?”

Behar responded, “So why doesn’t he like that? He should be happy.”

“Well, he should be,” responded Clapper.

The former Director of National Intelligence downplayed the fact there was a confidential informant watching the Trump campaign, saying the FBI “uses informants all the time.” (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: A London Meeting Before The Election Aroused George Papadopoulos’s Suspicions)

Clapper recently said that if there was an FBI informant in the Trump campaign, which he now openly admits as he did in “The View” Tuesday, it’s “a good thing.” (RELATED: Clapper: It’s ‘A Good Thing’ FBI Was Spying On Trump Campaign)

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