many people don't know who he is and now he has a bigger voice and okay with me. i like taking on voices like that. >> reporter: speaking about the decision for the first time, the president insisted he was getting high praise for the move to retaliate on brennan and review the security credentials of nine others. >> i have gotten tremendous response from having done that because security clearances are very important to me. very, very important. >> reporter: but that overlooked one key fact that some of the nation's most decorated intelligence officials admonish the president in a joint statement saying the president's action regarding john brennan and the threats of similar action against other former officials have nothing with who should and should not hold security clearances and everything to do with stifling free speech. decisions on clearances should be based on concerns and not political views. the president said he is poised to strip more security clearances in the coming days.