Move To Revoke Security Clearance For Trump Critics

President Donald Trump may revoke the security clearance of some former top intelligence and security officials who have been critical of the Trump administration.

The White House named six: former FBI director James Comey, former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe, former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, former National Security Adviser Susan Rice, and former National Security Agency director Michael Hayden.

At a White House news conference Monday, Press secretary Sarah Sanders said the President is exploring the mechanisms to remove their security clearance because “they’ve politicized and, in some cases, monetized their public service and security clearances.”

Earlier in the day, Senator Rand Paul had made a strong attempt to vitiate the credibility of former CIA Director John Brennan, saying that he is “monetizing his security clearance,” and called on the President to remove it from him.

At the routine briefing, one reporter asked if the President will consider Senator Paul’s suggestion and call for the removal of Brennan’s security clearance.

Sanders replied, “Not only is the President looking to take away Brennan’s security clearance, he’s also looking into the clearances of Comey, Clapper, Hayden, Rice, and McCabe.”

But at least two of them no longer have security clearance, reports say.

“Making baseless accusations of improper contact with Russia or being influenced by Russia against the President is extremely inappropriate,” she said in apparent reference to Clapper and Brennan’s criticism of Trump siding with Russian president Putin over his own intelligence officers at the Helsinki summit news conference.

“And the fact that people with security clearances are making these baseless charges provides inappropriate legitimacy to accusations with zero evidence,” according to Sanders.

She denied a reporter’s suggestion that Trump wanted to punish the former officials – most of whom have served under President Barack Obama – for exercising their right to free speech or making political statements about the President.

by RTTNews Staff Writer

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