Story highlights Director of the office of national intelligence said institutions like rule of law are "under assault"

He said about two-thirds of countries exhibit some characteristics of instability

Washington (CNN) The nation's intelligence chief said Thursday that he is concerned about stability in the U.S. and the fragility of American institutions, calling them "under assault" and pointing to today's heated rhetoric.

"I do worry," Director of National Intelligence James Clapper told the Aspen Security Forum, after being asked if he thought the current environment of racial tensions, gun violence, terrorism and declining confidence in the political process was threatening stability.

The former general noted that the intelligence community maintains metrics that determine whether a nation is considered stable, with about two-thirds of countries exhibiting some aspects of instability.

"I guess if you apply that same measure against us, well, we are starting to exhibit some of them, too," he assessed.

Clapper noted that he was speaking as a private citizen and not in any government capacity.

Read More