National Security Agency (NSA) leaker Edward says Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonButtigieg stands in as Pence for Harris's debate practice Senate GOP sees early Supreme Court vote as political booster shot Poll: 51 percent of voters want to abolish the electoral college MORE is wrong to claim he could have come out under whistleblower protection laws.

"Sad to see Hillary repeat a false claim despite fact check. She could develop a reputation," he tweeted on Friday.

Clinton claimed at the first Democratic primary debate that Snowden would have been protected if he had gone through the appropriate channels to reveal improper government practices.

ADVERTISEMENT

But Snowden pointed to a PolitiFact statement rated "True" that says the Obama administration has prosecuted more whistleblowers than all previous presidential administrations combined.

Clinton doubled down on her stance at a New Hampshire rally on Friday, saying Snowden should be made to return to the United States to answer for his actions.

“I firmly believe that he could have gone public and released the information about the collection of information on Americans under whistleblower protection, and he could have done it within the tradition in our country that shields people who come forth acting out of conscience to present information they believe the public should have,” Clinton said.

The former secretary of State, who resigned from her position just months before Snowden stole and made public classified data on the U.S. government's espionage practices, questioned the NSA contractor’s motives after he immediately fled to China and Russia after the 2013 leak.