Washington (CNN) Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper says President Donald Trump's consideration of revoking his and several other former national security officials' security clearances is a "very, very petty thing to do."

In an interview with CNN's Brooke Baldwin on Monday, Clapper was asked for his response to White House press secretary Sarah Sanders' bombshell that the White House was considering revoking his and five other former national security officials' clearances

"I think this is just a very, very petty thing to do," Clapper said.

Sanders said Monday that Clapper, former CIA Director John Brennan, former FBI Director James Comey, former National Security Agency Director Michael Hayden, former national security adviser Susan Rice and former Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe are under consideration to have their clearances stripped.

"The President is exploring these mechanisms to remove security clearance because they've politicized and in some cases monetized their public service and their security clearances," Sanders said. She added that "making baseless accusations" of any improper relationship with Russia is "inappropriate."

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