On August 19, Tulsi Gabbard, the Director of National Intelligence, announced that President Trump had ordered the revocation of security clearances for 37 former intelligence officials. The reason? They were accused of “politicizing and manipulating intelligence.” In a post on X, Gabbard emphasized that security clearances are a privilege, not a right. She argued that those who betray their oath and prioritize personal interests over national security undermine the safety of the American people and the integrity of democracy.
Among those affected were high-profile figures like Emily Horne, a spokesperson for the National Security Council, and Dilpreet Sidhu, a former deputy chief of staff at the same agency, who faced allegations of leaking classified information without authorization.
Just a month prior, the Director of National Intelligence’s office released a report alleging that President Obama and his security team had manipulated intelligence to create a narrative against Trump, claiming it was part of a years-long effort to undermine his presidency. Obama’s team quickly dismissed these claims, calling them baseless and part of the ongoing “misinformation” coming from the White House.
Despite these new claims, a 2020 Senate Intelligence Committee report, led by Senator Marco Rubio, affirmed that Russia had tried to interfere in the 2016 election but didn’t manage to change any votes. Rubio, now serving as Trump’s Secretary of State, echoed the bipartisan findings.
On his first day in office, Trump had already made headlines by revoking the security clearance of his former national security adviser, John Bolton, and even stripped him of Secret Service protection.
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