Trump Has ‘Begun the Mechanism’ to Remove Clearances of Former National Security Officials, WH Says

After yesterday’s press briefing in which Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Donald Trump is “exploring” options to remove the security clearances of former national security officials, White House Deputy Press Secretary Hogan Gidley told reporters today that the president has actually “begun the mechanism” to do so.

Gidley made the following remarks on the issue while aboard Air Force One this afternoon, per the pool report:

“The president finds it extremely inappropriate for somebody to go on television under the perception of legitimacy, integrity and level false and baseless claims against another person without any evidence whatsoever. He finds that to be somewhat troublesome and concerning and so he has begun the mechanism to remove security clearances from certain individuals. The names were listed yesterday. And when we have a further announcement on that, we’ll give it to you.”

The move comes just days after Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky heavily lobbied the president — specifically while on a Fox News prime time show — to remove the security clearance of former CIA Director John Brennan, as he has turned into an anti-Trump media pundit of sorts.

When asked yesterday about the issue, Sanders said, “The president is exploring the mechanisms to remove security clearance because they politicize and in some cases monetize their public service and security clearances.”

“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,” she added, referencing the clearance’s of former DNI James Clapper, former FBI Director James Comey, former NSA Director General Michael Hayden, former National Security Advisor Susan Rice, and former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe.

[image via screengrab]

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