US presidential election: Lapse in security

THE thought of Donal Trump receiving classified security and intelligence briefings is almost as scary as having him elected president of the US and commander-in-chief of the American armed forces.

While Mr Trump has slipped in the polls against Democrat rival Hilary Clinton, the intelligence community in the US has to follow the accepted practice of preparing candidates for the highest office in the land in the event they win the election.

The Republican nominee attended the briefing — organised by the office of the Director of National Intelligence — in secure rooms of the FBI’s New York office.

The sessions provide information about global threats against the US, which means that Mr Trump now has been shown top secret intelligence normally reserved for the president and close advisers.

Considering Mr Trump’s freewheeling rhetoric, it must be hoped that the intelligence community were smart enough to keep his briefing to a minimum.