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President-elect Donald Trump has started receiving intelligence briefings, a tradition that dates back to President Harry Truman's tenure in 1952. The briefings, provided by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), began shortly after Trump's election victory. The ODNI spokesperson confirmed the continuation of this tradition but did not comment on whether Trump was accepting the briefings.
During his campaign, President-elect Trump had declined intelligence briefings to avoid accusations of leaking information. However, his stance seems to have changed post-election. Trump's return to the White House comes with a promise to overhaul the intelligence agencies, which he perceives as corrupt or anti-democratic.
The intelligence briefings are the first of their kind that Trump has received since his Florida home was raided by the FBI in August 2022. He was accused by the Justice Department of unlawfully retaining classified documents. However, the case was dismissed by a federal judge, who ruled the prosecutor lacked congressional confirmation and had been unconstitutionally appointed.
Trump's transition to the presidency is already underway, with nominations for key intelligence posts in his administration. Among his nominees is former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence.