Trump strikes back: Brennan's security clearance revoked, 'erratic behavior' cited
By Dave Boyer - The Washington Times - Wednesday, August 15, 2018

President Trump on Wednesday revoked the security clearance of former CIA director John Brennan, citing his “erratic conduct and behavior.”

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, reading a statement from the president, said Mr. Brennan “leveraged his status as a former high-ranking official” to make false charges against the administration.

Mr. Trump’s statement began, “As the head of the executive branch and commander-in-chief, I have a unique constitutional responsibility to protect the nation’s classified information, including by controlling access to it. Today in fulfilling that responsibility, I’ve decided to revoke the security clearance of John Brennan, former director of the Central Intelligence Agency.”

The president said Mr. Brennan’s actions have “exceeded the limits of any professional courtesy.”

Mr. Brennan has been a harsh critic of Mr. Trump, and a network commentator, accusing him of treasonous actions in his dealings with Russia.

Mr. Trump said he’s still weighing revoking the security clearances of former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, former Obama national security adviser Susan Rice, fired FBI agent Peter Strzok and others — all Democrats.

The president cited Mr. Brennan’s “wild outbursts on the Internet” and “frenzied commentary.” On Tuesday, Mr. Brennan defended fired White House aide Omarosa Manigault Newman, who is feuding with Mr. Trump over allegations of racism and other claims in her new book.

Mr. Trump has called her a “dog” and described her as “crazed.”

Mr. Brennan tweeted at the president, “It’s astounding how often you fail to live up to minimum standards of decency, civility, & probity. Seems like you will never understand what it means to be president, nor what it takes to be a good, decent, & honest person. So disheartening, so dangerous for our Nation.”

On MSNBC Tuesday night, Mr. Brennan called the president “dangerous to our nation.” Mr. Comey and fired FBI deputy Director Andrew McCabe have said previously that their security clearances were deactivated when they were fired.

Mrs. Sanders also said the president is considering revoking the clearance of Justice Department official Bruce Ohr, whose wife conducted opposition research for Fusion GPS, which compiled the anti-Trump dossier during the 2016 presidential election.

Mrs. Sanders said, “Any access granted to our nation’s secrets should be in furtherance of national not personal interest.”

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/201...ty-clearance-c/

Update. Enjoy.

James Clapper Whines About Trump Revoking Security Clearances
Katie Pavlich
Posted: Aug 15, 2018 4:40 PM

Press Secretary Sarah Sanders announced from the daily briefing Wednesday afternoon President Trump has revoked the security clearance of former CIA director John Brennan and is considering doing the same for other politically motivated, former officials.

"I have also begun to review the more general question of the access to classified information by former government officials," Sanders said on behalf of President Trump. "As part of this review, I am evaluating action with respect to the following individuals: James Clapper, James Comey, Michael Hayden, Sally Yates, Susan Rice, Andrew McCabe, Peter Strzok, Lisa Page, and Bruce Ohr. Security clearances for those who still have them may be revoked, and those who have already their lost their security clearance may not be able to have it reinstated."

Former DNI director James Clapper, who regularly criticizes President Trump as a contributor for CNN, is responding to the revocation of Brennan's clearance and argues the move is an infringement on free speech.

“Will the republic stand or fall on whether John retains his access to classified information, or mine or any others that were named? Of course not. The larger issue here, to me, has been infringement on First Amendment rights," Clapper said during an interview with the network. "I think people ought to think seriously about that. Infringement of our right to speak, and apparently, the appropriateness of being critical of this president.”

You can read President Trump's entire statement about revoking security clearances below.

( https://www.scribd.com/document/38628887...nt-2#from_embed )

Statement from the President

As the head of the executive branch and Commander in Chief, I have a unique, Constitutional
responsibility to protect the Nation’s classified information, including by controlling access to it. Today, in fulfilling that responsibility, I have decided to revoke the security clearance of John Brennan, former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

Historically, former heads of intelligence and law enforcement agencies have been allowed to retain access to classified information after their Government service so that they can consult with their successors regarding matters about which they may have special insights and as a professional courtesy.

Neither of these justifications supports Mr. Brennan’s continued access to classified information. First, at this point in my Administration, any benefits that senior officials might glean from consultations with Mr. Brennan are now outweighed by the risks posed by his erratic conduct and behavior. Second, that conduct and behavior has tested and far exceeded the limits of any professional courtesy that may have been due to him.

Mr. Brennan has a history that calls into question his objectivity and credibility. In 2014, for example, he denied to Congress that CIA officials under his supervision had improperly accessed the computer files of congressional staffers. He told the Council of Foreign Relations that the CIA would never do such a thing. The CIA’s Inspector General, however, contradicted Mr. Brennan directly, concluding unequivocally that agency officials had indeed improperly accessed congressional staffers’ files. More recently, Mr. Brennan told Congress that the intelligence community did not make use of the so-called Steele Dossier in an assessment regarding the 2016 election, an assertion contradicted by at least two other senior officials in the intelligence community and all of the facts.

Additionally, Mr. Brennan has recently leveraged his status as a former high-ranking official with access to highly sensitive information to make a series of unfounded and outrageous allegations – wild outbursts on the internet and television – about this Administration. Mr. Brennan’s lying and recent conduct, characterized by increasingly frenzied commentary, is wholly inconsistent with access to the Nation’s most closely held secrets and facilitates the very aim of our adversaries, which is to sow division and chaos.

More broadly, 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. 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. Any access granted to our Nation’s secrets should be in furtherance of national, not personal, interests. For this reason, I have also begun to review the more general question of the access to classified information by former Government officials.

As part of this review, I am evaluating action with respect to the following individuals: James Clapper, James Comey, Michael Hayden, Sally Yates, Susan Rice, Andrew McCabe, Peter Strzok, Lisa Page, and Bruce Ohr. Security clearances for those who still have them may be revoked, and those who have already their lost their security clearance may not be able to have it reinstated.

It is for the foregoing reasons that I have exercised my Constitutional authority to deny Mr. Brennan access to classified information, and I will direct appropriate staff of the National Security Council to make the necessary arrangements with the appropriate agencies to implement this determination.


https://townhall.com/tipsheet/katiepavli...rences-n2510178