© Jonathan Ernst / Reuters
President-elect Donald Trump tweeted early Wednesday that he is not attempting to acquire “top level security clearance” for his children. “This was a typically false news story,” he wrote. Several reports over the last few days have claimed that Trump is seeking clearance for Eric, Ivanka, and Donald Trump Jr., who all plan to remain in New York during their father’s presidency. NBC News reported Tuesday evening that Trump’s team also requested top-secret security clearance for Jared Kushner, his son-in-law. Kushner is married to Ivanka Trump and publishes the New York Observer. Such clearance would allow Kushner to take part in the presidential daily briefing and would be unprecedented.
Several reports also claimed that a power struggle was impeding the Trump transition team’s ability to get much done. Still, Trump took to Twitter to deny those claims as well. “Very organized process taking place as I decide on Cabinet and many other positions. I am the only one who knows who the finalists are!” Trump wrote on Twitter on Tuesday night. On Wednesday morning, he wrote: “The failing @nytimes story is so totally wrong on transition. It is going so smoothly. Also, I have spoken to many foreign leaders.”