Here's a little context about this before everyone gets all freaked out:
1) When one no longer has ongoing need for classified information (i.e. leaving the government), the clearance is inactive unless one sits on an advisory board where such access is necessary
1) When one no longer has ongoing need for classified information (i.e. leaving the government), the clearance is inactive unless one sits on an advisory board where such access is necessary
2) The clearance can be reactivated in a future administration or when one has a future need to know, so this is not a permanent change by Trump.
3) A President's power in this area is plenary, so Trump can revoke these clearances and deny people access without any other agency reviewing this decision. But likewise, Trump cannot prevent a future President from granting clearances to any of these people, if it's necessary.
4) Most former government officials rarely come in contact with classified information, unless they are in a job which would require one. For example working for defense contractor on a classified system, or defending someone accused of espionage. Unlikely, but possible here.
5) Because this change has little substantive impact on the lives of these people, as former CIA Dir Hayden has mentioned, it is purely partisan and punitive in nature. And this political implication is deeply concerning.
6) In announcing that he is considering that he will revoke the clearances of his critics, Trump is saying that there will be negative consequences for those people who critique him. He is trying to silence dissent. And this has profound implications for the First Amendment.
7) Trump is not saying he is revoking because of a lack of need to know, or because these people cannot be trusted. He is saying they cannot have clearances because they *disagree* with him. This an attempt to punish speech.
8) Granting information only to those people who agree with you undermines one of the most basic tenets of our government, the one on which our nation was founded -- the right to dissent.
9) And if the people who have their clearances revoked on this basis lose contracts or income as a result, they will have suffered an injury in fact that would give them standing to sue the President over this issue. I hope they do.
