Trump revoked the security clearance of former CIA Director John Brennan this week. Press Secretary Sarah Sanders claimed Brennan had made “outrageous allegations” and “wild outbursts” about the Administration. Brennan has been critical of Trump on television and social media.
That, though, is not grounds for revoking a security clearance. According to CNN, National Intelligence Director Dan Coats was not even consulted about the revocation.
Trump Admitted the Real Reason Was Criticism Over Russia
On Wednesday Trump told the Wall Street Journal that his reason for revoking Brennan’s security clearance was Brennan’s comments on the Russia investigation, destroying the Administration’s argument that this was not political. “I call it the rigged witch hunt, [it] is a sham,” Trump said. “And these people led it! … So I think [the revocation is] something that had to be done.” Trump may have felt the political hit was worth it to make it clear his warning concerned the Russia investigation.
On Thursday Brennan responded in an op-ed piece in the New York Times, saying that Russian denial of involvement in the 2016 election and “Trump’s claims of no collusion” are “hogwash”. Brennan, who was CIA Director until January of 2017, certainly has a good idea of what happened during the 2016 election campaign. Brennan also said that revocation of his security clearance by Trump was “an attempt to scare into silence others who might dare to challenge him.”
Why Security Clearances for Retired Officials Matter
Since Brennan is retired, one might ask why this matters. Retired officials, though, may be contacted by the government for information concerning what happened during their tenure, they may be asked for advice – and they may be called as witnesses. All of these functions can be harmed by revoking their security clearances.
As with most decisions, this one had multiple motivations. Trump wanted both to punish a critic and warn others of the consequences of criticizing him. In addition to those usual autocratic reasons, with Trump there is no difference between his public image and his image of himself: Challenges to his story are challenges to Trump’s psyche and must be attacked. Trump also is getting more aggressive as the Mueller investigation continues – and this week the case against Paul Manafort, Trump campaign manager in 2016, went to the jury.
Trump may also have wanted to limit the usefulness of former officials as witnesses in the Russia investigation. And partly this was a test, to see whether he could get away with it – and possibly revoke the security clearances of Special Counsel Robert Mueller and his team.
Former Officials Condemned Trump’s Move
Retired Admiral William McRaven, who was commander of the Navy SEALS team that killed Osama Bin Laden, protested by asking that Trump strip his security clearance too. “I would consider it an honor if you would revoke my security clearance as well, so I can add my name to the list of men and women who have spoken up against your presidency.”
Twelve former U.S. intelligence officials – including both Republican and Democratic appointees and six other former CIA directors -- on Thursday condemned Trump 's revocation of Brennan’s security clearance, calling it an “an attempt to stifle free speech” and “clearly a signal to other former and current officials”.
On Friday, an additional 60 former CIA officials objected to Trump’s action, stating that “former government officials have the right to express their unclassified views on what they see as critical national security issues without fear of being punished for doing so.”
The Republicans Fail to Act as a Check on Trump
Several weeks ago retiring Republican Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) had termed Trump’s then threat to revoke security clearances “a banana republic kind of thing". This week, though, Republican Senator Richard Burr (R-NC), chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, along with several other Republican Senators, criticized Brennan, not Trump. Most Republicans were silent.
Likely as a result, the news today is that Trump has asked that security revocations be drafted for nine former FBI and intelligence officials who have criticized Trump or were involved in the Russia investigation before they departed. Trump also wants to pull the security clearance of current Justice Department official Bruce Ohr, who Trump claims is “tied to special counsel Robert S. Mueller III’s investigation of the Russia matter”.
The Senate, with its majority of Republicans, has already passed resolutions as warnings to Trump. When there was concern that Trump might announce the U.S. was withdrawing from NATO at an alliance summit, the Senate passed a resolution supporting NATO before Trump attended. This week the Senate disputed Trump by passing a resolution affirming “the press is not the enemy of the people.” Republicans and Democrats in the Senate must pass a resolution protecting security clearances immediately or Trump will continue his march to autocracy.