Chuck Schumer Slams Trump as ‘Really Dumb’ for Remarks on U.S. Intel

Sen. Chuck Schumer went on national television and slammed President-elect Donald Trump as “really dumb” for criticizing U.S. intelligence agencies – something that security experts for years have said was necessary, due to political infiltration of the very safety nets in America that are supposed to be free of partisanship and petty ideology.

Schumer, a Democrat, said on MSNBC to Rachel Maddow: “Let me tell you, you take on the intelligence community, they have six ways from Sunday at getting back at you. So even for a practical supposedly hard-nosed businessman, [Trump’s] being really dumb to do this.”

Schumer’s remarks were in reference to Trump’s previous announced delay of an intel briefing on Russia’s cyber activities, reportedly set for Wednesday, would instead be held Friday.

From the Hill:

“Trump said Tuesday evening that an intelligence briefing on Russia’s cyber activities ‘was delayed until Friday’ and suggested that intelligence agencies weren’t prepared.

“NBC reported, however, that the briefing was always planned for Friday.

“‘The ‘Intelligence’ briefing on so-called ‘Russian hacking’ was delayed until Friday, perhaps more time needed to build a case. Very strange!’” the president-elect wrote on Twitter.

Some in America’s intelligence communities say Russia was to blame for hacks into the Democratic National Committee’s email system in order to release damaging messages that painted Hillary Clinton in a poor light – supposedly, the left suggests, to skew the presidential election Trump’s way. President Obama’s sent out word he wants an investigation; Sen. John McCain, a Republican, joined in that call just a few days ago.

Trump, meanwhile, along with his supporters, say it’s time to move on and focus on the White House change in power.

Again from the Hill:

“Trump’s transition team responded to the initial reports about the CIA’s findings by drawing comparisons to its intelligence about supposed weapons of mass destruction in the lead-up to the U.S. invasion of Iraq.

“Schumer said that as he understands, intelligence officials are ‘very upset with how [Trump] has treated them and talked about them.’”