White House Looking to Revoke Security Clearances of Six Trump Critics
Press Secretary Sanders said they “politicized and in some cases monetized their public service.”

Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Monday that the Trump administration is “exploring” the notion of taking away the security clearances of six former government officials who are critics of President Donald Trump. During the White House press briefing, Sanders said that Trump is looking to revoke the clearances of former FBI Director James Comey, former CIA Director John Brennan, former DNI Director James Clapper, former NSA Director Michael Hayden, former National Security Adviser Susan Rice, and former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe. “The president is exploring the mechanisms to remove security clearance because they’ve politicized and in some cases monetized their public service,” Sanders said. “The president doesn’t like people are politicizing agencies and departments that are not meant to be political.” Sanders also claimed those individuals made “baseless allegations” against the president. Hayden tweeted shortly after that he does not “go back for classified briefings,” adding that the measure “won’t have any effect” on what he says or writes.
Press Sec. Sanders: "Not only is the president looking to take away Brennan's security clearance, he's also looking into the security clearances of Comey, Clapper, Hayden, Rice, and McCabe...because they've politicized and in some cases monetized their public service." pic.twitter.com/X24GmU06ci
— ABC News (@ABC) July 23, 2018
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