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Representatives
from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence will
give the New York businessman a wide-ranging briefing on foreign
policy and national security issues and current threats, but not
ultra-sensitive information about ongoing U.S. undercover spy
operations or the identities of intelligence sources and
methods, according to a source familiar with the matter.
The Director of National Intelligence serves as the head of the
U.S. intelligence community, advising the president, the
National Security Council and the Homeland Security Council on
matters related to national security.
"I know that there will be a briefing, and it will be this
week," Trump foreign policy adviser Walid Phares confirmed in an
email to Reuters.
ABC News reported that Trump will be accompanied to the briefing
by two top advisers, General Michael Flynn, a former Defense
Intelligence Agency chief, and New Jersey Governor Chris
Christie, who heads Trump's White House transition team.
A source familiar with briefing procedures said that it was
unclear whether Flynn and Christie currently have the type of
active security clearances that would allow them to participate
in such a briefing but that they likely held them in the past.
Neither Flynn nor a campaign spokeswoman immediately responded
to requests for comment on the briefing.
Officials have expressed some concern about whether Trump, who
has never held public office, will be able to keep sensitive
secrets he might hear to himself. Republicans have pointed out
Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, when secretary of state,
used a personal email system to transmit allegedly sensitive
government messages, some of which were classified "Top Secret"
after the fact.
There was no indication on Tuesday that Clinton has thus far
requested such a briefing for herself, sources familiar with the
briefing process told Reuters.
(Reporting by Mark Hosenball; Additional writing by Amanda
Becker; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)
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