Brennan faces pushback over 51 intel officers memo at conference

National security consultant Thomas Speciale this week pressed former CIA Director John Brennan over his signing of a now-infamous memo from 51 intelligence officials asserting that the Hunter Biden laptop story had "all the hallmarks" of a Russian influence operation.

"We never said it was misinformation, we said it was a Russian influence operation. Which is what they do," Brennan told Speciale in a tense altercation that saw him press his finger to Speciale's chest multiple times.

"There's a big difference between an influence operation and misinformation," he added.

Brennan was a signatory to a memo from 51 intelligence officials asserting that the story resembled a Russian influence operation. That memo served as a prominent talking point for the Biden campaign.

The New York Post, in October of 2020, published an article outlining the contents of the younger Biden's laptop, which faced widespread suppression on social media and was roundly condemned by intelligence officials and Democrats as misinformation.

It has since been authenticated and its contents served as key materials during the Republican-led impeachment probe.