A former CIA counterterrorism official poked holes Monday in President Donald Trump’s account of an alleged terror plot in the United Kingdom — calling one version of events “a little far-fetched” and Trump’s public comments “a little bit embarrassing.”
Phil Mudd, a former CIA counterterrorism official and former FBI senior intelligence adviser, joined CNN’s Jake Tapper after Trump claimed the U.S. had suspects “under investigation” before arrests connected to an alleged plot targeting a U.K. base.
Mudd said Trump’s account left him confused.
“I have about 200 dog years in investigations like this, and this one’s a little confusing,” Mudd said.
He first questioned the idea that authorities sprang into action simply after a civilian reported suspicious activity.
“Boy, that sounds a little far-fetched in this situation,” he said.
But Trump’s suggestion that the suspects had already been under surveillance also raised questions, Mudd said.
That doesn’t make sense either, because if you’re surveilling people, you don’t conduct the operation when you’re in a high-risk area with a bunch of civilians,” he said.
Mudd said he wasn’t sure exactly what happened, but took particular issue with Trump publicly suggesting the U.S. played a role in a British-led investigation.
“If the Brits are leading the investigation and the Americans say we're actually involved in the investigation, that's a little bit embarrassing,” Mudd said.
“You don’t say that,” he added. “The Brits take the lead. We sit in the back seat.”