Freeman then issued a full statement on his reasons for withdrawal, stating, "I do not believe the National Intelligence Council could function effectively while its chair was under constant attack by unscrupulous people with a passionate attachment to the views of a political faction in a foreign country"; he identified the country as Israel.
Freeman udsendte derpå en redegørelse om sine grunde til at trække sig, idet han sagde: "Jeg mener ikke at National Intelligence Council kan fungere effektivt medens dets formand konstant er under angreb fra folk uden skrupler med en passioneret forbindelse til en politisk fraktion i et andet land;" han identificerede dette land som Israel.