UPDATE: NBC News' National Correspondent:
House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) told reporters he thought President Trump was not serious about potentially revoking security clearances from six former intelligence and law enforcement officials.
Ryan (R-Wis.) was asked about the possible White House action a day after press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Trump is “looking to take away” the clearances of half a dozen former senior national security and intelligence officials who served in the administrations of George W. Bush or Barack Obama.
“I think he’s trolling people, honestly,” Ryan said at a news conference with other House Republican leaders.
Ryan said the issue falls under “the purview of the executive branch,” not Congress, before saying again: “I think he’s just trolling people.”
(...)
The White House’s threat on Monday immediately prompted accusations of political retaliation by current and former officials, as well as security analysts, who said Trump would set a dangerous precedent by punishing political speech.
Several of the officials he cited have written books questioning his leadership and his affection for Russian President Vladimir Putin and harshly criticized Trump in television interviews.
Ryan also said Tuesday that Putin would not be invited to speak to Congress if he accepts Trump’s invitation to come to Washington for another round of talks.
“We will certainly not be giving him an invitation for a joint session,” Ryan said. “That’s something we do for allies.”
Ryan added that he’s comfortable with Putin coming to the United States if a message is delivered that Russia needs to stop interfering in U.S. elections.
“It’s the message that counts,” Ryan said.
‘He’s just trolling people’: Ryan plays down Trump’s threat to revoke security clearances (WaPo)