Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced Tuesday that her office has revoked the security clearances of 37 current and former intelligence officials, accusing them of politicizing and manipulating intelligence. The action was taken at the direction of President Donald Trump.
“Being entrusted with a security clearance is a privilege, not a right,” Gabbard stated on X. “Those in the Intelligence Community who betray their oath to the Constitution and put their own interests ahead of the interests of the American people have broken the sacred trust they promised to uphold.”
A DNI memo issued on Monday identified officials from the CIA, NSA, State Department, and National Security Council. Among them is former Obama-era DNI James Clapper, who Gabbard claims pushed officials to “compromise” normal procedures to rush the 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment on Russian influence in the 2016 election.
Other notable individuals who lost their clearance include former Assistant Secretary of State for Intelligence and Research Brett M. Holmgren; former NSA Deputy Director Richard H. Ledgett; former Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence Stephanie O’Sullivan; former Senior Director for Counterterrorism at the NSC Luke R. Hartig; and Yael Eisenstat, a former CIA officer and White House advisor known for her work on Facebook’s election integrity operations.
The memo stated that the revocations are effective immediately, terminating the officials’ access to all classified systems, facilities, and information. It also directs that their government contracts or employment be terminated and their credentials surrendered.
“Our Intelligence Community must be committed to upholding the values and principles enshrined in the US Constitution and maintain a laser-like focus on our mission of ensuring the safety, security and freedom of the American people,” Gabbard wrote.
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