By Buck Sexton
Opinion Contributor
Can the president take away security clearances of former officials?
Or how about putting it this way: can Trump slap down some Deep State folks from exploiting their insider access, or the perception of it, for partisan gain?
Before we try to answer any of this, let’s start with what we do know.
We are in uncharted territory with this whole situation. The president probably can pull the clearances of former officials, though none have chosen to do this before.
This all has the usual suspects on the left crying foul about retaliation and politicization of classified access.
But let’s take a step back for a moment. I used to have a top-secret clearance. Does that mean that I should carry that with me forever? Of course not.
And I certainly don’t, and shouldn’t, have access to any classified information, as a private citizen or member of the media.
Given all that, why is it such a scandal that John Brennan, James Clapper, James Comey and a handful of other anti-Trumpers might have their clearances pulled after they’ve already left government service?
If it is just a courtesy for these officials, as seems to be the case, why all the outrage over the loss of such a courtesy?
Once again, it feels like Trump Derangement Syndrome is playing no small role.
Let’s not get ahead of this. The president hasn’t done anything yet. The White House may decide the gesture of pulling clearances isn’t worth it.
But if this does happen, we can’t lose sight of another importance first in all this — the first time that former intelligence chiefs have, immediately after leaving their posts in the government, became paid, partisan on-air critics of the current commander-in-chief.
This grossly politicizes the intelligence community in ways that will have ramifications long after Trump is done being president in 2024.
And it is a cabal of anti-Trump zealots who used to sit atop the intelligence agencies who have decided to leverage those positions as part of the Democrat, anti-Trump resistance.
National security is supposed to be nonpartisan, or bipartisan. If Trump decides to pull the clearances of some deep state actors, who no longer have any legitimate claim to those clearances anyway, he will be putting the next crop of intel chiefs on notice: if you want to play partisan politics, get ready to be treated like a partisan player.
Buck Sexton is the co-host of “Rising,” Hill.TV’s morning news show.
The views expressed by contributors are their own and not the view of The Hill.
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