The real scandal stemming from reports that Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner suggested setting up a backchannel with Russian officials is the leaking of classified information that led to Kushner’s alleged request becoming public, according to James Woolsey, the former CIA director under Bill Clinton.

“There are a lot of things I think have been disclosed too much and I think that is the real scandal here,” Woolsey said on CNN Tuesday night. “So much disclosed, it makes it hard for the secrecy that’s essential to the operation of the U.S. government in these areas to continue, and I think the people who have broken these tacit and formal agreements and taken classified information and turned it loose are basically traitors to the country.”

Earlier in the interview, Woolsey, who advised the Trump transition team after the election, also dismissed claims that there is anything inherently suspicious about setting up a backchannel.

“I don’t see anything untoward about having backchannel communications as long as you’re doing it accurately and within the confines, essentially, of what your superiors have asked of you,” Woolsey said. “People have backchannel communications all the time.”

President Trump has consistently argued that the illegal leaking of classified information to the detriment of his administration is the “real story” — not the probe into whether members of his campaign colluded with Russian operatives.

To date, the Russia investigation has found no evidence of collusion between members of the Trump team and the Russians.

WATCH:

Follow Hasson on Twitter @PeterJHasson