There’s a new report out that says Trump’s push to revoke the security clearance of Former CIA Director John Brennan ultimately never ended with Brennan’s security clearance being revoked:
WASHINGTON EXAMINER – President Trump never revoked former CIA Director John Brennan’s security clearance.
The president announced in August that Brennan’s security clearance was being stripped due to “erratic behavior” that disqualified him from having access to sensitive information.
But the White House never followed through with the complicated bureaucratic process of revocation, a source told the New York Times.
A CIA spokesperson declined to comment, telling the Washington Examiner the agency does not discuss individual security clearances. The White House did not immediately return a request for comment.
According to the New York Times it wasn’t because Trump didn’t want it to happen.
They suggest he was hampered by aides:
President Trump tried somewhat clumsily last year to revoke the security clearance of the former C.I.A. director who played a role in opening the Russia investigation. He then wanted to release classified documents to prove he was the target of a “witch hunt.”
Both attempts petered out, hampered by aides who slow-rolled the president and by Justice Department officials who fought Mr. Trump, warning he was jeopardizing national security.
The Examiner adds…
Although it was widely believed he had lost his clearance, Brennan has on occasion visited Capitol Hill to brief Democrats on national security matters.
So it sounds like Brennan never really lost his security clearance after all, which is disappointing after the announcement last August which made clear Trump was proceeding with this decision to strip Brennan.
Also if I had to guess, Brennan is probably the source for the NY Times article when it says “according to a person familiar with the process”.