# James Clapper

James Robert Clapper Jr. (born March 14, 1941) is a retired lieutenant general in the United States Air Force and is the former Director of National Intelligence, serving under President Barack Obama.

## Quotes

* Of course, the Russian effort affected the outcome. Surprising even themselves, they swung the election to a Trump win. To conclude otherwise stretches logic, common sense, and credulity to the breaking point.
** Excerpt from Clapper's memoir Facts And Fears, quoted in Hains, Tim (May 23, 2018). "James Clapper in New Book: "Of Course" The Russians "Swung The Election To A Trump Win"". Real Clear Politics. Retrieved on 27 July 2018.
* If it weren't for President Obama we might not have done the intelligence community assessment that we did that set up a whole sequence of event which are still unfolding today, including Special Counsel Mueller's investigation. President Obama is responsible for that. It was he who tasked us to do that intelligence community assessment in the first place.
** "Did Obama, Brennan And Clinton Illegally Collude To Take Trump Down?". Investor's Business Daily. July 23, 2018. Retrieved on 27 July 2018.
* Russia's aim wasn't to get anyone to actually believe the crazy stories they were publishing...The point of their influence operation was to overwhelm facts, to sow doubt that facts were even knowable.
** Excerpt from Clapper's memoir Facts And Fears, quoted in "In 'Facts And Fears,' Ex-Spy Boss Clapper Comes In From The Cold, Badly Chilled". National Public Radio. May 22, 2018. Retrieved on 27 July 2018.
* Looking at the recording of that interview, I again appeared tired. This time, I wasn't tired from working around the clock for months on end. I was tired because my journey of 76 years had led me to a place that should be home, and I'd found that the foundation of that home was beginning to crumble and the pillars that supported its roof were shaking.
** Excerpt from Clapper's memoir Facts And Fears, in reference to a video of himself on a talk show prior to the release of the book, quoted in "In 'Facts And Fears,' Ex-Spy Boss Clapper Comes In From The Cold, Badly Chilled". National Public Radio. May 22, 2018. Retrieved on 27 July 2018.
* You have to remember Putin's background. He's a KGB officer. That's what they do. They recruit assets.
** From an interview on CNN, quoted in Sheth, Sonam (December 19, 2017). "Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper: Putin is handling Trump like a Russian 'asset'". Business Insider. Retrieved on 27 July 2018.
* I went on to say that 'I hoped he would abide by the long-standing principle of the [intelligence community] always telling 'truth to power'.
** Describing a letter to Donald Trump following the 2016 US presidential election, quoted in de Moraes, Lisa (August 24, 2017). "James Clapper Reveals Contents Of Letter To Donald Trump About Which POTUS Nastily Tweeted". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved on 27 July 2018.
* The Founding Fathers, in their genius, created three co-equal branches of government, and a built-in system of checks and balances, and I feel as though that is under assault, and is eroding.
** Quoted in Bevan, Tom (May 16, 2017). "James Clapper's Assault on Democracy". Real Clear Politics. Retrieved on 27 July 2018.
* This evening, I had the opportunity to speak with President-elect Donald Trump to discuss recent media reports about our briefing last Friday. I expressed my profound dismay at the leaks that have been appearing in the press, and we both agreed that they are extremely corrosive and damaging to our national security.
    We also discussed the private security company document, which was widely circulated in recent months among the media, members of Congress and Congressional staff even before the IC became aware of it. I emphasized that this document is not a U.S. Intelligence Community product and that I do not believe the leaks came from within the IC. The IC has not made any judgment that the information in this document is reliable, and we did not rely upon it in any way for our conclusions. However, part of our obligation is to ensure that policymakers are provided with the fullest possible picture of any matters that might affect national security.
    President-elect Trump again affirmed his appreciation for all the men and women serving in the Intelligence Community, and I assured him that the IC stands ready to serve his Administration and the American people.
   * DNI Clapper Statement on Conversation with President-elect Trump. January 11, 2017. Full text available on Wikimedia Commons.

## Misattributed

* Trump should be happy that the FBI was SPYING on his campaign
** Misquoted in a tweet by Donald Trump, of an interview Clapper gave on the television show The View
*** Qiu, Linda. "Trump Incorrectly Quotes James Clapper to Falsely Claim F.B.I. Spied on Campaign". The New York Times. Retrieved on 27 July 2018.
* Among those [Syrian] refugees are no doubt a significant number of ISIS terrorists.
** Misquoted by Ted Cruz. According to the source, "Clapper said it was a “huge concern” that ISIS could try to infiltrate the refugees. Clapper also expressed confidence in the United States’ ability to screen refugee applicants."
** Cruz Misquotes Clapper on Refugees. factcheck.org. Retrieved on 27 July 2018.
* There was no involvement between the Trump campaign and the Russians (variously quoted)
** The full statement made by Clapper in testimony before the Senate Judiciary subcommittee was "During my tenure as DNI, it was my practice to defer to the FBI director, both Director Mueller and then subsequently Director Comey, on whether, when and to what extent they would inform me about such investigations. This stems from the unique position of the FBI, which straddles both intelligence and law enforcement. And as a consequence, I was not aware of the counterintelligence investigation Director Comey first referred to during his testimony before the House Permanent Select Committee for Intelligence on the 20th of March, and that comports with my public statements."
*** Parroting Trump, Right-Wing Media Figures Misrepresent Clapper’s Statements About Trump-Russia Collusion. Media Matters. Retrieved on 27 July 2018.

## See also

* Barack Obama
* Robert Mueller