White House threatens to revoke security clearances of Russia-probe critics

At the July 23, 2018 White House press briefing, press secretary Sarah Sanders announced that Trump was "exploring the mechanisms to remove security clearance" from six former officials who had criticized him over the Russia investigation: John Brennan, James Comey, James Clapper, Michael Hayden, Susan Rice, and Andrew McCabe. Sanders said the officials had "politicized and in some cases actually monetized their public service and security clearances" by making what she called "baseless accusations" against the president. The announcement followed Republican Senator Rand Paul's public request that Trump strip Brennan's clearance after Brennan called Trump's Helsinki performance "treasonous" on Twitter. Former intelligence officials and commentators characterized the threat as retaliation against dissent using the machinery of government; Trump formally revoked Brennan's clearance the following month.