Former leaders of the U.S. national security establishment are blasting President Trump’s decision to strip ex-CIA Director John Brennan of his security clearance, calling it a clear attempt to stifle the free speech of the president’s critics. Their open letter was signed by six former CIA directors, five former CIA deputy directors and a former director of national intelligence. It came as The New York Times reported White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders sought to advance the security clearance story in order change the topic away from news reports about Trump’s alleged use of a racial slur, the N-word. Meanwhile, the former naval admiral who led the assassination raid on Osama bin Laden wrote in an open letter he would “consider it an honor” if Trump would revoke his security clearance. Retired Admiral William McRaven, who led the U.S. Joint Special Operations Command under President Obama and now serves as chancellor of the University of Texas, wrote, “Through your actions, you have embarrassed us in the eyes of our children, humiliated us on the world stage and, worst of all, divided us as a nation. If you think for a moment that your McCarthy-era tactics will suppress the voices of criticism, you are sadly mistaken.”