RED HERRING

Report: White House to Use Security Clearance Revocations to Distract From Bad News

Trump’s team reportedly plans to announce the next ones to shift the focus from unfavorable news stories.

The White House has reportedly already drafted documents to revoke the security clearances of more former intelligence officials critical of President Trump—and plans to strategically release them to distract from negative news stories, according to The Washington Post. A senior White House official cited by the Post late Friday said White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders and deputy chief of staff Bill Shine have discussed what times would be best to drop the new revoked security clearances in order to deflect from unfavorable news. Trump reportedly wants to sign “most if not all” of the upcoming revocations. Trump’s decision to strip former CIA chief John Brennan of his security clearance earlier this week was roundly condemned by other big names in the intelligence world who saw the move as a way for the president to suppress criticism. Sanders, in announcing the move against Brennan on Wednesday, said several other current and former officials also have their security clearance status “under review,” including former FBI director James Comey, former CIA director Michael Hayden, Department of Justice official Bruce Ohr, former FBI lawyer Lisa Page, and former FBI Agent Peter Strzok.