Opposing view: ‘Holding a security clearance is a privilege’

President Donald Trump is being accused of pulling former CIA Director John Brennan’s security clearance, and considering pulling others, based on political concerns and not national security. That is an unfair conclusion in Brennan’s case and for some others who have been mentioned, including Justice Department official Bruce Ohr.

Brennan has no business holding a security clearance based on behavior where he was neither trustworthy nor stable enough to have one. Trump acted properly and responsibly for our country’s security by revoking it.

Brennan has every right to voice his opinions, and no one has limited that in any way. Even Trump noted, “Now he has a bigger voice and that’s OK with me.” But Brennan’s right to speak and his right to be anywhere near our national secrets are two different things.

Holding a security clearance is a privilege, and it comes with responsibilities. One of those involves not making outrageous, unsupported allegations that the president is being blackmailed by Russian leader Vladimir Putin and that his actions in Helsinki were “nothing short of treasonous.” Aside from publicly accusing the president, Brennan himself stands publicly accused of lying to and misleading Congress by Sen. Rand Paul and others.

Ohr has been identified as an information conduit between the FBI and Christopher Steele, an ex-British spy working for Fusion GPS, a firm hired by the Hillary Clinton campaign to investigate Trump in 2016. Ohr was in direct contact with Steele. Ohr’s wife, Nellie, did work for Fusion GPS — a fact Ohr failed to disclose until far later than was ethical. After the FBI fired Steele as a confidential source for talking with the media, the House Intelligence Committee found Ohr functioned as a backchannel informer from Steele to government officials.

Politics should never play a role in national security decisions. But when former or current officials abuse their roles or the public’s trust, it is right and proper they have clearances revoked.

Jim Hanson, president of Security Studies Group, served in the Army Special Forces.