Democrats were puffing hot air and criticized the Trump administration because they feared his declassification plan would uncover their dirty deeds, according to Fox News contributor Jason Chaffetz.

When "Fox & Friends" co-host Jedediah Bila asked Chaffetz about Democrats' concerns that President Trump's plans would hurt national security Saturday, the former chairman of the House Oversight Committee responded that it was "hogwash."

Trump's plan, Chaffetz argued, would improve Attorney General William Barr's ability to communicate with intelligence agencies.

"First of all, the attorney general has every security clearance that he could possibly have, the Federal Bureau of Investigations has a counterintelligence component."

He speculated that Democrats were projecting their own fears about the declassification uncovering troubling activities on their part.

BRENNAN, CLAPPER LASH OUT AT TRUMP FOR DECLASSIFYING 2016 ELECTION INTEL

"I think it's projection by the Democrats that they're scared to death that the highest echelons within some of these agencies -- specifically [former CIA Director John] Brennan and [former Director of National Intelligence James] Clapper and perhaps [former national security advisor Susan] Rice and some of these other people along the way were doing some things that they shouldn't have been doing," Chaffetz said.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Chaffetz was commenting on Trump's decision to give the attorney general greater authority in investigating the origins of the Russia investigation.

Chaffetz, on Saturday, suggested that instead of getting criticism, the president should be receiving awards for his efforts at transparency.