The Trump administration has revoked security permits from 37 current and former U.S. officials, accusing them of politicizing intelligence for partisan or personal gain.
In a memo posted on social media, NIA Director Tulsi Gabbard directed several NSA chiefs to immediately deprive officials of their permission, noting that the move was ordered by President Donald Trump.
Officials include several national security workers who serve former Democratic Presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama.
Gabbard provided no evidence to support the allegations in the memorandum.
Security permits grant access to sensitive government information, which some former officials reserve to them for their advice to successors. Some private sector jobs, such as defense and aerospace jobs, may require security permits as a prerequisite for employment.
It is unclear whether all 37 people listed in the memorandum remain active in licensing.
Garbad said Trump ordered the revocation because officials “abuse public trust by politicizing and manipulating intelligence, have no right to leak confidential intelligence, or commit intentional violations of commercial standards.”
Gabbard wrote on X: “Being entrusted to a security permit is a privilege, not a right. Those in the intelligence community who betray the oath, constitutionally compare their interests with those of the American people.
The memorandum does not make specific charges against a particular individual.
This is not the first time the Trump administration has revoked security permits for intelligence officials. The government had previously revoked Biden, his Vice President Kamala Harris and former lawmakers’ clearance and participated in the January 6 Capitol Riot investigation.
In recent weeks, Gabbard has led allegations from intelligence officials under former President Barack Obama, who concluded that Russia interfered in the 2016 election won by Trump.
Trump and Gabbard described the intelligence community’s assessment as a “traitorous plot” that undermined the success of the presidential election.
Democrats viewed the moves as political attention and accused the White House of diverting attention from unpopular policies, and Trump allegedly linked to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
“These weird allegations are ridiculous, a distraction-ridden attempt,” an Obama spokesman said last month.
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