Donald Trump to Receive Same Intelligence Briefing as President Obama
— -- Donald Trump will now be privy to in-depth daily intelligence briefings as president-elect.
White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said today that Presidential Daily Brief (PDB), which President Obama receives each morning along with other intelligence material has now been made available to Trump, Vice President-elect Pence and a few designated members of his team.
"This is an important part in ensuring the kind of smooth transition that President Obama has prioritized," Earnest said.
Earnest noted that this was a courtesy President George W. Bush extended to President Obama.
A senior U.S. official said Trump has not received a PDB today, but can request it any day at his discretion. The official notes that the sitting president determines what the president-elect will receive. Obama has decided to grant access to the PDB, which means Trump will receive the exact same thing Obama receives each morning -- as has been customary with recent transitions.
The official said the intelligence community is ready to provide the PDB whenever the president-elect wants. Similar to the briefings given to the major party nominees, career analysts from the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) will present the information, not political appointees.
