USA TODAY US Edition

Don’t play games with security clearances

-

Much like President Donald Trump, former CIA Director John Brennan is not one to back away from a fight.

Brennan has been trading vicious barbs with Trump for months. After Trump’s seeming embrace of Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Helsinki last month, Brennan called the conduct “nothing short of treasonous.”

Vituperati­ve rhetoric to be sure. But not a cause for retributio­n in a nation where freedom of speech is enshrined. Just the same, Trump punished Brennan for his insolence, yanking his security clearance and threatenin­g to do the same for other ex-officials and at least one current official.

Does it matter if someone no longer in government loses access to sensitive intelligen­ce informatio­n? Actually, it can. Incoming administra­tions often seek out former officials for advice. Vice President Mike Pence, for example, regularly consults predecesso­rs Dick Cheney and Joe Biden. The public benefits when current officials tap the expertise of former ones.

Trump’s revoking of Brennan’s security clearance has triggered fierce bipartisan pushback. Scores of former senior intelligen­ce and national security officials — led by luminaries such as former CIA Directors Robert Gates and Leon Panetta — signed statements condemning the president for seeking to stifle Brennan’s free speech.

That certainly seems to be the case. But something more sinister might also be at play. Trump remains fixated on special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigat­ion. The president has flirted with issuing pardons or even moving to fire Mueller. Now Trump has hit upon another imperious tool to undermine Mueller’s efforts.

He told The Wall Street Journal last week that pulling Brennan’s clearance was all about Russia. Brennan is among those whom Trump holds responsibl­e for the investigat­ion, and pulling his clearance “had to be done.”

While Brennan will survive without a security clearance, stripping one from federal officials in sensitive jobs kills their effectiven­ess. Trump said Friday he would likely pull the clearance of Justice Department official Bruce Ohr, who played a modest role in the Russian probe’s early days.

Who’s next to lose his clearance? Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who supervises the Mueller investigat­ion? Mueller himself ?

Thankfully, steps are already being taken to curtail Trump’s authority.

The Democratic vice chair of the Senate Intelligen­ce Committee, Mark Warner of Virginia, is threatenin­g legislatio­n to block the president from punishing or intimidati­ng critics by revoking their security clearances.

More immediatel­y, Brennan says he’ll seek a court order restrainin­g Trump. He might have a case.

There was no process for Brennan. No evidence was presented that he mishandled classified data. No CIA officials were consulted. Trump just did it, as if he suddenly found a new toy. Maybe it’s time to put limits on his ability to play with it.

 ?? ANDREW HARNIK/AP ?? John Brennan testifies on Capitol Hill in 2016.
ANDREW HARNIK/AP John Brennan testifies on Capitol Hill in 2016.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United States