James Clapper, Director of National Intelligence, wasn't briefed of a huge anti-terrorist operation in England ahead of an interview with Diane Sawyer. Image from Wikimedia Commons.
The Director of National Intelligence, James Clapper, recently had a disastrous interview with Diane Sawyer on national television. Clapper didn’t know about a foiled London terrorist plot, and came off as an ignorant buffoon. It was later confirmed that he had not been briefed.
Disastrous Diane Sawyer for James Clapper
A recent interview was broadcast on the ABC News featured veteran anchor Diane Sawyer interviewing Secretary Janet Napolitano of the Department of Homeland Security, White House counterrorism adviser John Brennan, and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper. Sawyer asked the panel about the arrest of 12 individuals across Britain that may have been engaged a London terrorist plot, though it was foiled. The people arrested weren’t engaged in an act of terrorism, but in the planning of it. Sawyer asked DNI Clapper about London, but only referred to the incident by saying “first of all, London.” Clapper then responded that he wasn’t aware of what she meant, though the incident was heavily carried by every news network heavily that day.
Clapper was not briefed
Initially, it appeared that the person most responsible in the White House for national intelligence matters didn’t know about a major terrorist plot being busted. However, according to CNN, Clapper had not been briefed as he had been occupied with other matters. Clapper has been intensely monitoring the situation in North and South Korea, and assisting Congress with the START treaty. Clapper’s spokeswoman confirmed that he had not been briefed on the matter, and that steps were being taken to ensure the incident didn’t repeat itself.
Clapper hailed as outstanding
In response to the interview, John Brennan said in Clapper’s defense that he was “the consummate DNI,” according to ABC. Though he conceded that perhaps he should have been informed better by his staff, Clapper was capable and is doing well in his work. Staff from the DNI office said that Sawyer’s interview questions had been “ambiguous.”
