The Trump administration said it is revoking the security clearances of 37 national security officials who have been accused of things like "politicization or weaponization of intelligence to advance personal or partisan gain."
"Being entrusted with a security clearance is a privilege, not a right. 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," Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said on X. "In doing so, they undermine our national security, the safety and security of the American people and the foundational principles of our democratic republic."
Gabbard's announcement said her office determined that the individuals in question had failed "to safeguard classified information in accordance with applicable laws, regulations and agency policies, "failed to adhere to professional analytics tradecraft standards," and/or "other conduct detrimental to the trust and confidence required for continued access to national security information."
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The Associated Press reported that some of the individuals listed as having their security clearance revoked had worked on the intelligence community's assessment that Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election. The outlet cited unnamed sources.
The 37 individuals who had any type of employment with the government were terminated immediately and had to turn over their credentials, according to a statement from. Gabbard's office.
It’s the latest action of retribution by the Trump administration against national security officials he perceives as having been against him.
It comes as his government has launched a sweeping effort to cast doubt on the legitimacy of intelligence community findings that Russia interfered on his behalf in the 2016 election.
