In a big move from President Donald Trump that came nearly as soon as he was in office, he yanked the security clearances of the 51 national security officials who, in 2020, signed a letter in which they falsely claimed that the Hunter Biden’s laptop had “all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation.”
As background, in that ridiculous, since-discredited letter was sparked by the explosive New York Post report showing the horrific details of corruption and illegal activity that had been stored on Hunter’s laptop. In the letter, the 51 officials claimed that though the laptop did not have “any evidence of Russian involvement,” it looked like a “Russian information operation.” That was used to discredit the story and justify its suppression on social media.
Included in the signatories on the letter, which was used to discredit the bombshell story about Biden family involvement in potential Ukrainian corruption, were former director of National Intelligence James Clapper Jr., former directors of the Central Intelligence Agency Michael Hayden, John Brennan, former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, and former National Security Advisor John Bolton.
In the executive order yanking their clearances, Trump said, “By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered: Section 1. Purpose. In the closing weeks of the 2020 Presidential campaign, at least 51 former intelligence officials coordinated with the Biden campaign to issue a letter discrediting the reporting that President Joseph R. Biden’s son had abandoned his laptop at a computer repair business. Signatories of the letter falsely suggested that the news story was part of a Russian disinformation campaign.”
He continued, “Before being issued, the letter was sent to the CIA Prepublication Classification Review Board, the body typically assigned to formally evaluate the sensitive nature of documents prior to publication. Senior CIA officials were made aware of the contents of the letter, and multiple signatories held clearances at the time and maintained ongoing contractual relationships with the CIA.”
He further noted, “Federal policymakers must be able to rely on analysis conducted by the Intelligence Community and be confident that it is accurate, crafted with professionalism, and free from politically motivated engineering to affect political outcomes in the United States. The signatories willfully weaponized the gravitas of the Intelligence Community to manipulate the political process and undermine our democratic institutions.”
He then added, “This fabrication of the imprimatur of the Intelligence Community to suppress information essential to the American people during a Presidential election is an egregious breach of trust reminiscent of a third world country. And now the faith of Americans in all other patriotic intelligence professionals who are sworn to protect the Nation has been imperiled.”
Slamming John Bolton specifically, he said, “National security is also damaged by the publication of classified information. Former National Security Advisor John R. Bolton published a memoir for monetary gain after he was terminated from his White House position in 2019. The book was rife with sensitive information drawn from his time in government. The memoir’s reckless treatment of sensitive information undermined the ability of future presidents to request and obtain candid advice on matters of national security from their staff. Publication also created a grave risk that classified material was publicly exposed.”
Then, noting what will be done by the order, which is the yanking of their clearances, he said, “To remedy these abuses of the public trust, this Order directs the revocation of any active or current security clearances held by: (i) the former intelligence officials who engaged in misleading and inappropriate political coordination with the 2020 Biden presidential campaign; and (ii) John R. Bolton.”
The EO further declared, “Sec. 2. Policy. (a) It is the policy of the United States to ensure that the Intelligence Community not be engaged in partisan politics or otherwise used by a U.S. political campaign for electioneering purposes. The term “Intelligence Community” has the meaning given the term in section 3003 of title 50, United States Code. (b) It is the policy of the United States that individuals who hold government-issued security clearances should not use their clearance status to influence U.S. elections. (c) It is the policy of the United States that classified information not be publicly disclosed in memoirs, especially those published for personal monetary gain.”
Then, after noting the names of the individuals impacted by the order, it said, “(b) Within 90 days of this order, the Director of National Intelligence, in consultation with the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, shall submit a report to the President through the National Security Advisor that details: (i) any additional inappropriate activity that occurred within the Intelligence Community, by anyone contracted by the Intelligence Community or by anyone who held a security clearance, related to the letter signed by the 51 former intelligence officials; (ii) recommendations to prevent the Intelligence Community or anyone who works for or within it from inappropriately influencing domestic elections; and (iii) any disciplinary action—including the termination of security clearances—that should be taken against anyone who engaged in inappropriate conduct related to the letter signed by the 51 former intelligence officials.”