James R. Clapper Quotes

• I responded in what I thought was the most truthful, or least untruthful manner.

  James R. Clapper

  Memorable, Nsa, Truthful

  "James Clapper Hails Checks And Balances While Treating Oversight “Too Cute By Half”, www.emptywheel.net. June 10, 2013.

  15 Copy quote

• The Russians succeeded, I believe, beyond their wildest expectations. Their first objective in the election was to sow discontent, discord, and disruption in our political life, and they have succeeded to a fare-thee-well. They have accelerated, amplified the polarization and the divisiveness in this country and they've undermined our democratic system. They wanted to create doubt in the minds of the public about our government and about our system; and they succeeded to a fare-thee-well. They've been emboldened and they will continue to do this.

  James R. Clapper

  Country, Believe, Expectations

  Source: www.politico.com

  4 Copy quote

• First Russians objective was - as I said earlier - to sow discord, discontent, disruption. And their next objective was - because of the very strong personal animus that Putin himself had for both Clintons, both President Clinton and Secretary Clinton - and he particularly held her responsible for what he felt was an attempted color revolution in 2011 to attempt to overturn him. So, he had very strong hatred - personal hatred - towards her, and that kind of led him to - if I'm opposed to her, who am I going to favor?

  James R. Clapper

  Strong, Hatred, President

  Source: www.politico.com

  4 Copy quote

• We're talking about nuclear war with North Korea. We're talking about Russia. Does it feel like the world has shifted? Are we all just in Donald Trump's reality show now?

  James R. Clapper

  War, Reality, World

  Source: www.politico.com

  4 Copy quote

• Impeachment is our system's last resort for someone who treats himself or herself as above the law, the most relevant thing is whether this president, by his recent course of action, on top of his violations of the foreign corruption or emoluments clause, this president has shone that he cannot be trusted to remain within the law and our constitution's last resort for situations of that kind is to get the person out of office.

  James R. Clapper

  Office, President, Action

  13 Copy quote

• What I said was, ‘the NSA does not voyeuristically pore through U.S. citizens’ e-mails.’ I stand by that.

  James R. Clapper

  Nsa, Doe, Citizens

  "Clapper’s Lie" by Charles C. W. Cooke, www.nationalreview.com. June 11, 2013.

  9 Copy quote

• The president sets the tone. He creates the atmosphere, and that can be enlightened, progressive, or it can be intimidating, depending on what the president's agenda is. I think the other dimension of this that I worry about is impacts overseas with friends and allies, many of whom are very, very concerned about America's position in the world and whether or not it's going to continue its leadership, which has been the prevalent condition since World War II.

  James R. Clapper

  War, Thinking, Worry

  Source: www.politico.com

  4 Copy quote

• We must remain mindful of the potential impact of over-correcting the authorizations of the intelligence community.

  James R. Clapper

  Impact, Nsa, Community

  8 Copy quote

• Trump is very skillful at identifying - even if he can't quite get it clear, or precisely describe it - but that's what he wants to do, is always have something to use against people, even if it's distorted.

  James R. Clapper

  People

  Source: www.politico.com

  4 Copy quote

• The Russians have to be celebrating with a minimal expenditure of resources and what they have accomplished. Of course, what's unfolded now, here, the leader of the lead of the investigation about potential collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign has been removed. So the Russians have to consider this as another victory on the scoreboard for them.

  James R. Clapper

  Leader, Victory, Celebrate

  Source: abcnews.go.com

  4 Copy quote

• We have lots of challenges around the world, and I have no doubt the intelligence community will continue to watch them, monitor them, and report on them. The issue is, with all of our other distractions here in Washington, particularly, will the appropriate attention be paid to each one of these issues?

  James R. Clapper

  Community, Challenges, Doubt

  Source: www.politico.com

  4 Copy quote

• Some of you expressed surprise that I showed up-so many emails to read!

  James R. Clapper

  Nsa, Email, Surprise

  "Banqueters and the Spying News Bombshell" by Charles S. Clark, www.govexec.com. June 10, 2013.

  7 Copy quote

• I've expressed concern about the assaults on our institutions, both from external sources - meaning the Russians - and internal sources. And I think this will be a real test of the resilience of our system and its pillars.

  James R. Clapper

  Real, Thinking, Resilience

  Source: www.politico.com

  4 Copy quote

• I think Trump's presidency represents a completely different model than what we're used to. And I think to your point, yes, he is a great communicator, you know? He uses Twitter to great effect. I just wish he could stick more to the truth, because it's a very effective way of communicating directly with the American people.

  James R. Clapper

  Thinking, People, Wish

  Source: www.politico.com

  4 Copy quote

• If we - particularly, if we peremptorily attack North Korea - that without deliberation, that North Korea will reflexively unleash all the rocketry and artillery - which they're pretty good at, by the way - on Seoul, and do as they vowed many times, to convert Seoul into a sea of fire. So, if we do something like this, this will have cataclysmic results.

  James R. Clapper

  North Korea, Artillery

  Source: www.politico.com

  5 Copy quote

• When I visited North Korea in November 2014, is that Kim Jong-un is not merely the head of state of the DPRK - the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, North Korea - he's also their deity. So, when you insult him as the head of state, you're also insulting the deity, which of course the regime plays to a fare-thee-well to the domestic audience there.

  James R. Clapper

  Insulting, November, Democratic

  Source: www.politico.com

  4 Copy quote

• President Trump has the advantage of being surrounded by an excellent cadre of advisors. Kim Jong-un doesn't have any advisors that are going to give him objective counsel. He's surrounded by medal-bedecked sycophants, who dutifully follow him around like puppy dogs with their notebooks open, ascribing his every utterance, and pushing back against the great leader is not a way to get ahead.

  James R. Clapper

  Notebook, Dog, Giving

  Source: www.politico.com

  4 Copy quote

• The FBI is unique in that it straddles both law enforcement and counterintelligence.

  James R. Clapper

  Unique, Law Enforcement, Fbi

  Source: abcnews.go.com

  4 Copy quote

• I think, as a professional courtesy, when the president asks you to dinner, you go.

  James R. Clapper

  Thinking, President, Courtesy

  Source: abcnews.go.com

  4 Copy quote

• The two most capable nation state adversaries in the cyber domain are clearly Russia and, of course, China. And I do think Russia poses a huge threat in the way they have used the cyber domain. That, to me, by the way, is the big issue here, is Russian interference in our political process, in our election process. And that is an egregious act by them. And they will continue to do that and I think more aggressively than they have in the past. And I think it's something Americans, all American citizens need to be aware of.

  James R. Clapper

  Past, Thinking, Political

  Source: abcnews.go.com

  6 Copy quote

• I have sort of a visceral aversion to the prominence of the either active duty, in the case of General McMaster, or retired general officers filling political, civilian positions.

  James R. Clapper

  Political, Duty, Retired

  Source: www.politico.com

  4 Copy quote

• I don't think the intelligence community itself institutionally is losing its focus; it will continue to do its job; continue to be vigilant on all issues that are besetting us. I think the greater danger is just the preoccupation of the policy community, and how much attention they pay to what the intelligence community is telling them.

  James R. Clapper

  Thinking, Focus, Community

  Source: www.politico.com

  4 Copy quote

• Obviously, what's happening in China right now is crucial, in the party congress, which as someone said has anointed a new emperor of China in President Xi. So there's the rise of China, and their active involvement in the United States internally in our business and financial realms. That certainly bears watching.

  James R. Clapper

  Party, President, Financial

  Source: www.politico.com

  4 Copy quote

• We had a general awareness, for example, of Russian use of social media - Facebook ads, use of Twitter, fake news implants - we had a general understanding of that. But now, as time has elapsed and time has gone on, I've certainly learned a lot more about the depth and breadth of what the Russians were about.

  James R. Clapper

  Fake, Understanding, Social Media

  Source: www.politico.com

  4 Copy quote

• There's nobody that wants the president to be successful more than I.

  James R. Clapper

  Successful, President, Being Successful

  Source: www.politico.com

  4 Copy quote

You May Also Like:

John O. Brennan

Robert M. Gates

Susan Rice

Denis McDonough

David Petraeus

Hillary Clinton

Dianne Feinstein

James Comey