Former CIA Director John Brennan, now an MSNBC contributor and brutal critic of President Donald Trump, penned an op-ed run Thursday in the New York Times that accused the president of colluding with Russia.

Brennan, who was stripped of his security clearance this week by the White House, said Trump’s claims of there being no collusion were “hogwash” in an editorial that drew the attention of Senate Intelligence Committee chairman Richard Burr.

And the North Carolina Republican’s put the former spy chief between a rock and a hard place with his response.

“Director Brennan’s recent statements purport to know, as fact, that the Trump campaign colluded with a foreign power,” Burr said in a statement.

“Mr. Trump’s claims of no collusion are, in a word, hogwash.” – former CIA Director ⁦@JohnBrennan⁩ in ⁦@nytimes⁩ this morning. https://t.co/VG1h3EuPdJ — Jim Sciutto (@jimsciutto) August 16, 2018

He noted that if Brennan’s assertion of collusion is based on actual intelligence, he should have included it in the unclassified intelligence community assessment that was released in early 2017.

The assessment was released just before Brennan resigned.

“If his statement is based on intelligence he has seen since leaving office, it constitutes an intelligence breach,” Sen. Burr added. “If he has some other personal knowledge of or evidence of collusion, it should be disclosed to the Special Counsel, not The New York Times.”

He went on to conclude that if Brennan’s assertion “is purely political and based on conjecture, the president has full authority to revoke his security clearance as head of the Executive Branch.”

Senate Intel Chairman Richard Burr: "If, however, Director Brennan’s statement is purely political and based on conjecture, the president has full authority to revoke his security clearance as head of the Executive Branch" pic.twitter.com/YCngZbZpuF — Joe Perticone (@JoePerticone) August 16, 2018

Burr’s release impressed President Trump, who tweeted a portion of the senator’s take late Thursday.

“Director Brennan’s recent statements purport to know as fact that the Trump campaign colluded with a foreign power. If Director Brennan’s statement is based on intelligence he received while leading the CIA, why didn’t he include it in the Intelligence Community Assessment…… — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 17, 2018

…..released in 2017. If his statement is based on intelligence he has seen since leaving office, it constitutes an intelligence breach……” Richard Burr (R-NC) Senate Intel Cmte Chair @LouDobbs — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 17, 2018

Here’s a sampling of reactions to Burr’s response from Twitter — with the term “Checkmate” coming up more than once.

Senate Intel Chairman, Richard Burr is defending President Trump. I believe this is a remarkable turn in the tides of Washington affairs and may well represent the beginning of the end of the Mueller Witch Hunt. @realDonaldTrump #AmericaFirst #Dobbs pic.twitter.com/YP7pYZPACa — Lou Dobbs (@LouDobbs) August 16, 2018

That pretty much sums it up! He either withheld evidence, or he is lying with his political bias. Either way, his character lacks worthiness to hold security clearance. Like Cream, Facts always rise to the top! — Jeff Raimer (@pgaprohof37) August 16, 2018

Game Set Match. Check Mate. — Larry Calhoun (@LBoogy31) August 16, 2018

https://twitter.com/seanmdav/status/1030201018368372736

Check Mate — Impenitent2A ?? (@Impenitent2A) August 16, 2018