31 January 2017, 17:40 GMT
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Trump's executive order to block refugees from coming to the United States for four months and restrict immigration from seven predominantly Muslim nations may contribute to growth of terror threat in the US, Panetta said in an interview with CNN.
"We've fed ISIS [Daesh] a major argument that I think will help them in recruiting and that increases the chances of a potential attack in this country," Panetta told CNN on Tuesday.
Trump said the order would keep terrorists out of the United States.
On Sunday, US Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham issued a joint statement warning that Trump’s executive action could aid recruitment of terrorists.
