Clinton receives intelligence briefing

Hillary Clinton received a briefing from US intelligence officials on Saturday, a privilege reserved for the top two White House contenders to prepare them for the responsibilities of the country’s highest office.

The Democratic candidate’s motorcade pulled up around 9:00 am (1300 GMT) at offices of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in White Plains, New York, near her home in suburban Chappaqua.

The director of national intelligence organizes the briefings, not the FBI, whose offices are used because they have secure meeting rooms.

The Republican candidate Donald Trump attended a similar meeting August 17 in New York, accompanied by two key advisers, retired lieutenant general Michael Flynn and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.

The tradition of intelligence briefings for presidential candidates began in 1952 under president Harry Truman.

Laying out the US intelligence community’s view of the threats facing the United States, the briefings stick to those assessments without divulging secrets about operations or sources.

Democrats have expressed unease about Trump’s access to such sensitive information, with President Barack Obama himself issuing a thinly veiled warning earlier this month.

“If they want to be president, they have got to start acting like (a) president,” he said in a clear reference to the unpredictable New York billionaire.

“That means being able to receive these briefings and not spreading them around.”