It’s easy to note that Trump’s decision to revoke John Brennan’s security clearance smacks of pettiness and vindictiveness. Both true. Less clear is the extent to which it ‘damages’ national security. Yes, many top level intel officials retain security 1/
Clearances so they can continue to consult with their successors. But more than 2 million private citizens have secret or top secret clearances. Brennan’s clearance level is more valuable as currency in the private sector and for the military and intelligence 2/
Contractors on whose boards he sits and for whom he consults. This is more an attack on Brennan’s earning capacity (and for this reason a very Trumpian move). It’s also potentially a blow to scholars seeking to declassify top secret intel materials, since 3/
Those materials are reviewed for release by former policy makers at those agencies in the same field and with the same clearance level as the documents themselves. I.e. the higher the secrecy level, the smaller the circle of people who can review them, 4/
Which slows down the declassification of government secrets of interest to the public. Trump’s justification is of course a total lie, but we should be clear on what this really signals- a threat to the private sector earning potential of those who speak out against Trump. 5/end
