Exclusive: White House only realized afterwards that clearances at the CIA and in Congress had been rescinded

Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, did not inform the White House that her office was revoking the security clearances of 37 people – including top deputies to the CIA director, John Ratcliffe – before it happened last month, according to three people familiar with matter.

The move caused consternation because it resulted in the White House not having an opportunity to closely vet the list before it became public and there appeared to be no paper trail from the president directing the effort, the people said.

As a result, officials only realized after the fact that Gabbard had managed to pull the security clearances of career CIA officials, at least one of whom was a top adviser to Ratcliffe and had worked on some of the US’s most sensitive military operations, the people said.

  • themeatbridge@lemmy.world
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    3 days ago

    Does anyone actually believe that Tulsi went rogue on this, and wasn’t simply acting under the direct orders of Trump?

    • bort@piefed.world
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      3 days ago

      I’m sure its all in the signal chat records that are being saving in accordance with the presidential records act

    • forrgott@lemmy.zip
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      3 days ago

      Wait, what? Direct order of Trump?

      That demented idiot is not calling the shots. Not a fucking chance.

      • themeatbridge@lemmy.world
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        3 days ago

        I mean, she received her orders in a private conversation whilst in the oval office. Clearly Trump does not possess the faculties to run the show, but he’s the figurehead of the whole thing.

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          3 days ago

          Sadly, I’d find it equally possible the orders came through a completely illegitimate channel (coughPutincough). But, yeah, even if the order was relayed in the oval office, Mango Mussolini may or may not have been lucid enough at the time to even be aware. 😝

          • themeatbridge@lemmy.world
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            3 days ago

            I just find it absurd that the story goes “The White House wasn’t informed of what Trump told Tulsi to do.” Like certainly, she and Trump both work for Putin, and revoking the credentials from anyone who investigated Russian interference in the election is transparent corruption.

            • forrgott@lemmy.zip
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              3 days ago

              Suddenly it seems obvious to me, in a way. Trump was made totally aware at the time, but creepy old pedophile-in-chief so obviously has full on late stage dementia and lost the money of it. So, worthless ass kissing brown nosers around him have to loudly insist to everyone that he never knew.