Ex-CIA Chief Snaps Over Hunter Biden Laptop Confrontation

Ex-CIA Chief Snaps Over Hunter Biden Laptop Confrontation

Former CIA Director John Brennan erupted in anger this week after being confronted in public by a national security specialist who pressed him on his role in signing the 2020 letter that falsely cast doubt on the Hunter Biden laptop story.

The fiery exchange unfolded during a Q&A session following a national security event, when Thomas Speciale, a former military intelligence officer and counterintelligence adviser to Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, stepped up to the microphone and identified himself to the panel.

“My name is Tom Speciale. I’ve been a career intelligence officer for over 20 years in the military, for over 34 years,” he began. “I recently left the DNI as a Senior Advisor for Tulsi Gabbard on counterintelligence and security. I was at the DNI when the first ICA was released regarding cyber influence on the 2016 election.”

Speciale’s comments quickly turned pointed. Drawing on his own experience inside the intelligence community, he accused Brennan of backing flawed assessments and politically motivated narratives about Russian interference.

“There was an email that went around from General Clapper to yourself and Comey that basically said, ‘We all got to get on board with this, otherwise it isn’t going to work,’” Speciale said. “I would like to hear what your justification was for supporting the dossier that was known to be false being used as source material in the second ICA.”

Brennan, seated just feet away, visibly bristled at the question.

“I don’t know who put you up to this,” Brennan snapped. “But it’s a bunch of bullshit that you just passed on.”

Last night at a conference with former CIA Director Brennon I confronted him regarding the fake dossier and the Russia Collusion hoax. Listen to his response. Just FYI – I wasn't uninvited to the afterhours. pic.twitter.com/sE96meMpHA

— Thomas A. Speciale II (@Speciale4VA) October 31, 2025

Full Transcript edited for clarity:

Moderator: Anyway, why don’t we go ahead and start taking audience questions? Sound good? Why don’t we start over here? It should be on.

Thomas Speciale: Can you hear me? Okay, good. First, I want to introduce myself. My name is Tom Speciale. I’ve been a career intelligence officer for over 20 years in the military — for over 34 years total. I recently left the DNI as a Senior Advisor for Tulsi Gabbard on counterintelligence and security.

And in fact, I made many of the suggestions on dismantling some of the things that are being dismantled, and also made some suggestions on improvements, which I’d love to talk to you guys afterwards about and get your feedback on, because hopefully it’s going to be going to some important desks very shortly.

I want to agree completely, Director, with your assessment on Iran being on their heels. We’ve got to keep them on their heels until they reform. We’ve got to do that.

I disagree on the deep state — only because Trump says it’s the deep state, but as we all know, it’s really just the entrenched bureaucrats that run the country.

I’ll get to my question. I will, but I want to establish sort of my bona fides on this question before I ask it, because I really hesitated to put you guys on the spot in public. But if you’re not going to be at the after hours, I’ve got to take my chance now.

I was at the DNI when the first ICA was released regarding cyber influence on the 2016 election. I was there. I was working in the NIM. I read it. I was also involved in setting up the principals committee meeting that took place in December that resulted in President Obama directing a more fulsome ICA — because I understand the difference between a cyber ICA and a total, whole-of-government ICA, an intelligence collection on Russian involvement or influence in the election.

And I noticed immediately in the ICA — the second ICA — because I had access to the classified ICA, that there were statements in that ICA that were not supported with the sourcing that was associated with it.

Specifically, that President Putin had directed the action, and that the Russians were actively trying to support President Trump instead of just sowing chaos.

My question: there was an email that went around from General Clapper — from General Clapper to yourself and Comey — that basically said, “We all got to get on board with this, otherwise it isn’t going to work.”

And I think that email puts everybody in the crosshairs. I would like to hear what your justification was for supporting the dossier — that was known to be false — being used as source material in the second ICA.

Brennan: I don’t know who you are or what role you played, but it’s a bunch of bullshit that you just passed on.

Speciale: The emails are clear, sir. The emails are clear.

Moderator: Next question, please. Let’s move on.

As moderators attempted to move the discussion along, Speciale tried to respond — “The emails are clear, sir” — before being cut off. The exchange drew murmurs from the crowd and left Brennan visibly frustrated.

In a separate video clip recorded after the event, Brennan was confronted again. The follow-up video shows him raising his voice and pointing his finger at Speciale as the argument continued in the hallway.

“You misrepresented that,” Brennan shouted. “We never said it was disinformation. We said it was Russian influence operations — which is what they do. There’s a big difference between influence….”

After the conference on Thursday I confronted former CIA Director Brennan directly regarding his signing the 51 Intelligence Officers Memo knowing that the Hunter Biden laptop was real and not Russian disinformation. Watch his response. pic.twitter.com/blg86oBLRb

— Thomas A. Speciale II (@Speciale4VA) November 1, 2025

Speciale fired back that the letter Brennan signed was used to deceive voters weeks before the 2020 election, arguing that the intelligence community’s credibility had been weaponized for political ends. Brennan waved him off and muttered that he was “not going to waste time” with him before walking away.

The confrontation reopened one of the most damaging controversies in the intelligence community’s modern history; the coordinated 2020 letter from 51 former officials who suggested The New York Post’s reporting on Hunter Biden’s laptop “had all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation.”

That claim, echoed across major media outlets and used by Twitter and Facebook to suppress the story, has since collapsed under scrutiny. The laptop was confirmed authentic, and emails from it have been cited in federal prosecutions against Hunter Biden.

For Brennan, the moment captured on video may prove telling. Once one of Washington’s most powerful intelligence figures, he now found himself face to face with a fellow intelligence veteran, one demanding answers, in public, that Washington has long avoided.

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