Trump Revokes Clearance Of Ex-CIA Boss Brennan, Puts Other Critics On Notice

[smilesammich 10,727]

Quote

President Trump has revoked the security clearance of former CIA Director John Brennan, who has become outspoken critic of the president.

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders announced the move on Wednesday following an earlier discussion about pulling the clearance held by Brennan and a group of other targets.

"The issue of Mr. Brennan's security clearance raises larger questions about the practice of former officials maintaining access to our nation's most sensitive secrets long after their time in government has ended," Trump said in a statement that Sanders read aloud at the press briefing on Wednesday.

"Such access is particularly inappropriate when former officials have transitioned into highly partisan positions and seek to use real or perceived access to sensitive information to validate their political attacks."

The enemies list

Trump said he also is evaluating action on the security clearances of other former officials who've been critics or targets of the White House. They include

Former director of national intelligence James Clapper
Former FBI director James Comey
Former National Security Agency and CIA director Michael Hayden
Former Acting Attorney General Sally Yates
Former national security adviser Susan Rice
Former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe
A recently-fired former FBI special agent Peter Strzok
Former FBI attorney Lisa Page
and Bruce Ohr, a currently serving leader within the Justice Department. Trump and Republicans have faulted Ohr for his contacts with the former MI6 intelligence officer who authored the infamous Russia dossier. Ohr's wife also worked for the political intelligence firm in Washington that commissioned the dossier with money from Democrats.

Trump Revokes Clearance Of Ex-CIA Boss Brennan, Puts Other Critics On Notice

 

what a pitiful move. i bet this totally stops brennan from speaking out against trump. lol.

[Randyandyuni 2,682]

I know when the jobs I had top secret clearances for ended my security clearancess ended shortly thereafter, do any jobs you formerly had that granted you access to privledged information continue to have access to that sensitive information after termination?

 

I agree he is acting petty, but removal of privledged access seems prudent in these circumstanced

[smilesammich 10,727]

16 minutes ago, Randyandyuni said:

I know when the jobs I had top secret clearances for ended my security clearancess ended shortly thereafter, do any jobs you formerly had that granted you access to privledged information continue to have access to that sensitive information after termination?

 

I agree he is acting petty, but removal of privledged access seems prudent in these circumstanced

so, why wasn't brennan's clearance revoked as soon as he was no longer cia director?

 

how is this prudent, exactly?

[Cyberfx1024 7,978]

7 minutes ago, smilesammich said:

so, why wasn't brennan's clearance revoked as soon as he was no longer cia director?

 

how is this prudent, exactly?

It went into a inactive state the day he left that job. So they just suspended it administratively.

[smilesammich 10,727]

15 minutes ago, Cyberfx1024 said:

It went into a inactive state the day he left that job. So they just suspended it administratively.

so, trump did nothing but is just trying trying to make it appear as if he did. lol

[Voice of Reason 10,298]

21 minutes ago, smilesammich said:

so, trump did nothing but is just trying trying to make it appear as if he did. lol

Kind of, but perhaps not?  IDK how it works at THAT level, but someone above you has to authorize the removal of your status.  Not too many people between Trump and Brennan, I’m guessing?  Perhaps it’s SOP for Trump to request and withdraw the clearances for people at that level.  Or perhaps Brennan left (IDK when), and his clearance remained in effect, when it should not have, and it came to Trump’s attention due to the opposition?

 

The security clearance goes with (and ends with) the job or position, unless one violates it and has it revoked for misconduct.  Someone has to authorize a person to even be considered for a secret or top secret clearance and the subsequent position, then several someone’s carry out the investigation and report back as to the fitness for the clearance. 

 

All pure speculation by me.  Just throwing ideas out there.  Even if it WAS Trump who ordered it pulled, unless it was for a specific reason other than leaving the job, talking about it serves no real purpose, to me.

[Randyandyuni 2,682]

1 hour ago, smilesammich said:

so, why wasn't brennan's clearance revoked as soon as he was no longer cia director?

 

how is this prudent, exactly?

Two answers

 

1st I do not know, Sr government officials don't reach out to me for policy questions

 

2nd if I have to explain why it's imprudent to have access to sensitive information you don't need to have access to, then probably a wasted effort to explain

Edited August 15, 2018 by Randyandyuni

[Neonred 3,446]

Can anyone offer a legit reason for this ex director to have top security clearance?

[The Nature Boy 7,659]

15 minutes ago, Neonred said:

Can anyone offer a legit reason for this ex director to have top security clearance?

Cause sometimes guys at that level have to weigh in on sc stuff that went down on their watch, and need current clearance to do so. Spook stuff

[Neonred 3,446]

Or maybe to keep their high profile analyst job on CNN?

[The Nature Boy 7,659]

3 minutes ago, Neonred said:

Or maybe to keep their high profile analyst job on CNN?

That too

[smilesammich 10,727]

"If the goal was to quiet Brennan's criticism, the result may well be the opposite. "My principles are worth far more than clearances," Brennan said. "I will not relent.""

 

[Randyandyuni 2,682]

1 minute ago, smilesammich said:

"If the goal was to quiet Brennan's criticism, the result may well be the opposite. "My principles are worth far more than clearances," Brennan said. "I will not relent.""

 

I respect his statement and his convictions, hopefully it doesn't backfire on him

[Dashinka 23,248]

10 hours ago, smilesammich said:

"If the goal was to quiet Brennan's criticism, the result may well be the opposite. "My principles are worth far more than clearances," Brennan said. "I will not relent.""

 

Not sure that was the goal.  Trump certainly has words for his critics, but I don't remember him ever proposing laws or rules to silence them.  If this administrative actions reduces some of Brennan's credibility as a media source (since he cannot claim to have any inside access anymore) then fine, but he, Brennan, is free to say what he wants.

 

To me the interesting thing was Brennan's reaction when the FBI issued its document dump a month or so ago, he seemed to have an over-the-top reaction to it which makes me wonder what is hidden behind the redactions.

[Ban Hammer 12,841]

13 hours ago, Neonred said:

Can anyone offer a legit reason for this ex director to have top security clearance?

unless there is a compelling need for him to need a clearance, no.