Trump ordered top-secret security clearance for Jared Kushner despite concerns of John Kelly, intel officials
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
President Donald Trump early last year directed his then-chief of staff, John Kelly, to give presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner a top-secret security clearance - a move that made Kelly so uncomfortable that he documented the request in writing, according to current and former administration officials.
After Kushner, a senior White House adviser, and his wife, Ivanka Trump, pressured the president to grant Kushner the long-delayed clearance, Trump instructed Kelly to fix the problem, according to a person familiar with Kelly's account, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe internal discussions.
Kelly told colleagues that the decision to give Kushner top-secret clearance was not supported by career intelligence officials, and he memorialized Trump's request in an internal memo, according to two people familiar with the memo and the then-chief of staff's concerns.
It is unclear how Kelly responded to Trump's directive. But by May, Kushner had been granted a permanent security clearance to view top-secret material - a move that followed months of concern inside the White House about his inability to secure such access.
Kushner's lawyer publicly described the process as one that had gone through normal channels, a description that Kelly did not view as accurate, according to a person familiar with his reaction.
The former chief of staff, who left the administration at the beginning of this year, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Trump's push to get Kushner clearance - and the chief of staff's concerns about it - was first reported by the New York Times , which also reported that then-White House Counsel Donald McGahn had concerns about Kushner's clearance.
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders declined to weigh in Thursday evening, saying: "We don't comment on security clearances."
Peter Mirijanian, a spokesman for Kushner lawyer Abbe Lowell, said in a statement that "in 2018, White House and security clearance officials affirmed that Mr. Kushner's security clearance was handled in the regular process with no pressure from anyone."
"That was conveyed to the media at the time, and new stories, if accurate, do not change what was affirmed at the time," he added.
An attorney for McGahn declined to comment.
See full article here: https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-trump-jared-kushner-security-clearance-20190228-story.html
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Who to trust...?
As a person that had to obtain and maintain a security clearance, and knowing well what would disqualify a person from obtaining a clearance, I find this situation a compromise of national security.
If a memo from John Kelly exists, it should be easy enough to produce for congress. National security, especially as important as at that level, must not be compromised.
It's not that easy. It's a "note to file" which is part of the executive branch's records and therefore can be withheld, hidden or disappeared at any time. The only way to really document this would be to get Kelly before Congress and under oath and make that asshole say it out loud.
The President has the authority to direct his chief of staff to grant somebody security clearance, so what is this all about? Is it all a matter of trying to catch the President in a lie? Based on all the anti-Trumpers in government, I really don't blame this President for putting his family in key positions. He needs people he can trust watching his back.
How are they going to do that, when they're both incompetent and security risks themselves?
All one needs do is catch Trump opening his mouth.
Some day one of y'all will have to explain to me WHY he lies about shit that y'all insist he need not lie about...
How are they incompetent? How are they security risks? Was Hillary Clinton a security risk? Did the top officials at the FBI & DOJ serve this country or did they betray it?
If you don't know how they are security risks why are you commenting? Here. Try it you'll like it. Or not. Happy to look for more.
I'm commenting because Trump's family has NOT violated national security. Hillary Clinton did. So where have you been?
WTF? Do you know that when people lie they are compromised and open to blackmail and influence from outside? Do you know the reasons Kushner didn't get a clearance until Trump forced them? Do you know how many times in history this has happened? Trumps entire presidency has compromised our national security! The security clearances are only a small part. If a democrat were doing any of this crap the gop would have already voted to impeach. Did I mention the unsecure phones and private emails used by Trump? Not allowing any American into a Putin meeting, so only Russia know what happened? Take those double standards somewhere else and deal with the truth about Trump.
What are their qualifications? Jared sells real estate. Ivanka steals shoe designs and trades on Daddy's name. The only reason they hold the positions they do is because they're family.
Kushner had his clearance downgraded. He "forgot" to mention his Russian contacts. As lib50 said, the only way he got his clearance was his familial relation to Trump.
How could anybody NOT have a problem with this?
You know this how?
Well considering the FACT that he was incapable of filling out an SF86 without amending it 40 TIMES, I'd say that's a pretty good clue.
Gee Vic, you seem to actually want the facts. Wonder why Trump won't release them...
Whataboutism...
Well Petraeus sure betrayed it. Who else did you have in mind?
It's because they can be trusted. Unlike all those Obama operatives who abused their positions to oust an American President.
How could anybody NOT have a problem with this?
Not everyone thinks like you. I thought you learned that in 2016?
She says
Do you know that when people lie they are compromised and open to blackmail and influence from outside?
Then we have a TON of compromised people living in Washington DC & northern Virginia!
Do you know the reasons Kushner didn't get a clearance until Trump forced them?
Yup, his application was flagged by the FBI because of his international business dealings & meetings. The same FBI whose leadership was trying to oust the President. The same FBI which is now still trying to deal with what those individuals did.
Do you know how many times in history this has happened?
Don't know. Did it happen with Bobby Kennedy or Eric Holder?
Trumps entire presidency has compromised our national security!
You don't say!
If a democrat were doing any of this crap the gop would have already voted to impeach.
I doubt that very much.
Did I mention the unsecure phones and private emails used by Trump?
Where they like a private server?
Not allowing any American into a Putin meeting, so only Russia know what happened?
Is that like telling the Russians " After my election I have more flexibility" ?
Of course they can. That's why Daddy had to get them security clearances they wouldn't qualify for otherwise
Hilarious.
Vic, the CIA is the Agency that denied Jared SCI level clearance. I know that fact doesn't fit into you 'deep state' conspiracy theory, but it IS a fact...
No. They haven't been reviewed by the FBI.
No, it's like telling the Russians SCI information in the Oval Office, just to 'show off'.
Why are you quoting Vic's comment? Do you think that Vic meant it to be humorous?
I'm basing my comment on the SAME reports that Vic based his comment on but I am citing the facts. BTFW, I note that you don't question Vic's false 'facts'.
Trump talks on the phone to his 'kitchen cabinet' almost every day. Trump's phone is NOT secure. What needs to be reviewed is whether those 'conferences' are easily surveiled on either end of the conversation. Someone who pretends to care about security would want that question answered. In fact, someone who pretends to know so much about security already KNOWS the asnwer...
We have to take the Russian media's word for it since Trump only allowed them to be present in the Oval office for that meeting. Since Trump didn't deny the reports and instead insisted that he had every right to unilaterally divulge that SCI to the Russians, one can presume that the Russian media's report was factual.
Trump never claimed that it was a 'personal slip' or an 'inadvertent disclosure' so your comment is misleading.
Link? Oh and you were there and know specifically what was said? Really, please expand on the conversation.
My bad. So who did YOU have in mind?
You take up a lot of space to say nothing.
Knowing what is the truth and what isn't is too.
Oh I know, yet you characterized Vic's comment as the truth. It isn't.
What makes it true is Trump defending it...
Yet he DID address it and proudly stated his 'rights'.
Whataboutism.
Then I presume that you have self reported your 'personal slip' to the appropriate agency...
Actually, Vic asked the question. Here it is:
So I repeat, who, if anyone, do you have in mind?
You know as well as I do, with so many things, just because you can…. doesn't mean you should.
You can't seem to put the country first can you? It's always left and right with you...…
Does not matter anymore. The MAGA folk still shout "Lock Her Up" during the Trump's appearances.
Besides, the Russians, Turks and Saudis have the cash and the Trump's are 'broke arse'. American security is now passé. The 'New World Order' has arrived.
The NWO existed decades before Trump was born. Research Woodrow Wilson and others.
Goes back much further than that. Look at your dollar bill.*
*Novus Ordo Seculorum (New Order for the Ages) was imprinted on the Great Seal of the United States created in 1782.
In comment 3.2 I said ...
*[dating myself there...."civics" isn't taught anymore, is it?]
Truly amazing how the "freedom loving" tea party types are nowhere to be found screaming about executive overreach.
Obama didn't do anything these right wing nuts screamed about for 8 years, there were no FEMA camps, Obama left office without disgrace and did not usurp the country with authoritarian rule by refusing to leave office, no one took away all the guns as we can easily see with the number mass shootings under Trump, Obama did not take away their healthcare which is happening now under Trump, and Obama did not hand out tax cuts for corporate welfare or created an even more unfair tax system which the right wingers are just now waking up to higher tax bills for the middle class courtesy of the GOP and Trump.
Trump never wanted to be President. NEVER. He is making it clear he truly and absolutely wants to be a dictator like all the dictators he is so fond of.
Trump was NEVER going to be a public servant to serve the people of America.
Trump wants America to serve him and expects to indulge in any criminal or unethical emoluments to benefit him to go unchallenged by the American people.
What bothers me is the trumps and Kushner have never fully divested from their companies.
When they deal with foreign banks/entities and they have access to all information, who is to say they couldn't strong arm foreign entities to bow down to their business interests.
I read one article that said little Jared didn't disclose close to 100 contacts.
That is not overlooking something. That was intentional.
I can imagine the outrage if the roles were reversed and Hillary had given top secret clearance to Chelsea.
The screams from the right would be deafening.
deafinitely
.
but, whence dealing with the hypocrites, hypocrisy, is hippo critical.
Fat tubs of lard, lube, the system with the intention of reducing the friction by increasing the fiction, selling it as non, while flying it , like a None, in a Field of Dreams, as fantasy foursomes, are knot always required for a threesome, cause sum feel if they don't want a threesum, it's ok to force em'.
A POTUS with a lot of Vices, doesn't mean he has good Advice , just advise for his many, and his wo many, as illustrated in his history, minus her stories,
asz hypocritical advice is not advised for hypocrites with too many vices, already.
The security of The United States of America is imperiled by Trump & Co...
has been
TRUMPPED