President Donald Trump on Monday revoked security clearances for 37 former White House intelligence staffers and security experts, according to a memo from the director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard.
Many of the national security professionals targeted by the administration were involved in the government’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, while others served in high level-roles in the CIA, National Security Council, Office of the Director of National Intelligence and departments of Defense or State during the administrations of Barack Obama and Joe Biden.
Gabbard cited “manipulating intelligence, leaking classified intelligence without authorization, and/or committing intentional egregious violations of tradecraft standards” as reasons for the mass revocation of security clearances, but did not offer any more details on individual cases.
“Those in the Intelligence Community who betray their oath to the Constitution and put their own interests ahead of the interests of the American people have broken the sacred trust they promised to uphold,” Gabbard wrote on X on Tuesday afternoon.
Gabbard, along with other senior Trump administration officials, have been bent on discrediting the intelligence community’s 2017 conclusion that Russia aimed to “undermine public faith in the U.S. democratic process,” as well as harm former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s reputation with the goal of getting Trump elected.
In July, Gabbard declassified several sets of documents challenging the assessment, saying “overwhelming evidence” demonstrated that the Russian interference probe was a “years-long coup against President Trump.” One critical document, a House Intelligence Committee report questioning the evidence from the 2017 conclusion, was minimally redacted, reportedly against the wishes of the CIA.
Two weeks ago, Attorney General Pam Bondi called for a grand jury investigation based on those claims and reportedly directed a prosecutor to present evidence against officials who served in Obama’s White House.
It remains unclear what specific actions and people Bondi intends to pursue.