Former CIA Director John Brennan has raised concerns about potential intelligence vulnerabilities within U.S. government institutions due to what he describes as unvetted individuals affiliated with Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) gaining access to sensitive systems and databases.
Brennan also criticized what he sees as the politicization of leadership within the FBI and Department of Justice (DOJ), singling out figures such as Kash Patel and Pam Bondi.
Speaking on the matter, Brennan warned that individuals associated with Musk and DOGE have entered government institutions without proper security clearances or background checks, creating a risk for foreign intelligence exploitation.
“And what I’m concerned [about] is right now with all of these individuals that Musk and DOGE have sent into our government institutions and having access to those systems and networks and databases, this is something that is ripe for exploitation by the Russians and the Chinese in terms of intelligence,” Brennan stated.
“These are individuals who haven’t been vetted. They don’t have the security clearances or background, and so they’re now accessing all this information that involves U.S. citizens, sensitive U.S. databases, and other things,” he added.
Brennan suggested that these alleged security risks could undermine national intelligence efforts, allowing foreign adversaries such as Russia and China to take advantage of the situation.
Beyond his concerns about intelligence security, Brennan also voiced alarm about what he perceives as the politicization of key law enforcement agencies, questioning whether the FBI and DOJ will continue to operate with integrity.
