New Yorker: Trump Considered Revoking President Obama's Security Clearance

Donald Trump

According to a new article in The New Yorker, Donald Trump considered revoking President Obama's security clearance.

Some of Trump’s most fervent supporters in the White House saw former Obama Administration officials as powerful enemies who threatened the new President’s rule, and they agitated for punishing them by revoking their security clearances. The idea was rebuffed by the national-security adviser at the time, H. R. McMaster, who signed a memo extending the clearances of his predecessors at the N.S.C., Republicans and Democrats alike.

As Trump stepped up his public and private attacks on Obama, some of the new President’s advisers thought that he should take the extraordinary step of denying Obama himself access to intelligence briefings that were made available to all of his living predecessors. Trump was told about the importance of keeping former Presidents, who frequently met with foreign leaders, informed. In the end, Trump decided not to exclude Obama, at the urging of McMaster.

It will come as no surprise that the Donald denies ever considering taking away Obama's security clearance.

Does anyone believe Trump?

Me neither.

Fake News, of which there is soooo much (this time the very tired New Yorker) falsely reported that I was going to take the extraordinary step of denying Intelligence Briefings to President Obama. Never discussed or thought of!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 21, 2018

Trump: Revoke Obama’s security clearance.

Aide: But, Mr. President—

Trump: LeBron too!

— Michael Blackman (@mikerblackman) August 18, 2018

So #FatNixon wanted to revoke Obama's security clearance, but not any of other living former presidents.

Humm, now I wonder, what is it that is different about Obama and the other four?

😒

— ✊🏻 LilMzResistanista ✊🏻 (@bruntofitall) August 20, 2018