President Donald Trump is considering ending the security clearances of former Obama administration officials, namely, former CIA director John Brennan, former national Security adviser Susan Rise, former national intelligence directors James Clapper and Michael Hayden, and former FBI officials James Comey and Andrew McCabe. Brenner criticized Trump’s press conference remarks after his Helsinki meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin as “nothing short of treasonous.” Wrote the Times, “Mr. Trump’s threat appeared designed to rebuke high-profile critics whose titles, experience and access to the nation’s most sensitive secrets lend weight to their arguments.” (The New York Times, July 23, 2018, by Julie Hirschfeld Davis and Julian E. Barnes)
Press Secretary Sarah Sanders claimed the the move was being considered since the targeted had politicized and monetized their public service and security clearances. “And making baseless accusations of improper relationship with Russia is inappropriate,” said Sanders. Clapper said he thought Trump was retaliating for their speaking out against him. (ABC News, July 23, 2018)