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Revoking Security Clearances from Previous Heads [1]
['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']
Date: 2025-01-23
Another Trump action that seems to have mostly slipped by unnoticed is his revocation of security clearances for prior senior intelligence officials. On the face of it, this may not seem that bad, after all, why do former officials need clearances? Don’t want to help a revolving door, now do we. Well, actually there is a purpose for them to maintain such clearances.
While, likely Trump was inspired here out of revenge and from having had his own clearance suspended by Biden, let’s look at how prior heads used continued clearances.
Current heads have no peers. They have no one with whom they can freely discuss concerns while all advisors they may have are in a position of subservience to them. This creates an issue as advice can be slewed to please. The solution has been that previous heads can act as advisors. They often do specifically hired for such roles during exercises while they are available should real-world situations arise for which a current head may want to discuss even if merely as a sounding board.
In fact, ‘board’ is an interesting word. Think of previous heads as the board relative to the current c-suite even if this board has no votes. Such a board still had the power of influence and the power of connections. They also have background knowledge and historical trend awareness both likely in the specific concerns and with other similar works that new heads not hired from within will lack. They know the ‘why’ of pre-existing policies that may not be readily apparent. They know how things have twisted and evolved in complexity which cannot be avoided yet makes things appear similarly twisted, which is actually good and proper even if it appears bent and weird.
But team Trump doesn’t want this. This created an unofficial sort of accountability and oversight. While previous heads have no means to directly counter current heads, if a current head were to act in a disreputable manner, they have ways to make such known. They can reach congressional committees charged with oversight. And they can find ways to word concerns publicly without risk of compromising the intelligence.
In other words, this move is in kind with firing the Commandant of the Coast Guard. This move is yet another way to ensure loyalty to the man not the Constitution. This move is another toward enabling corruption and autocracy. This move makes us less secure globally. This move seeks to create an echo chamber of Trump-ism within the national security environment where diversity of thought is critical to successful action. It enables lies to the public. It makes distorting reality much easier. It enables manipulation and control.
Amateur hour is only ever successful in a strip club.
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