Tulsi Gabbard testified at her confirmation hearing for the role of National Intelligence Director before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Jan. 30. Recently, Gabbard made headlines by revoking security clearances from multiple former national security officials, including the Manhattan district attorney who prosecuted Donald Trump and a lawyer involved in a government whistleblower case against Trump. This move is seen as part of the Trump administration’s strategy to target political opponents through security clearances. The decision to strip clearances from these individuals follows an executive order issued by Trump during his second term as president, calling for the revocation of security clearances for 49 former officials who had signed a letter suggesting Russian interference in the 2020 election. Gabbard also announced the removal of security clearances for current officials in the Biden administration, including Antony Blinken, Jake Sullivan, and Lisa Monaco. Additionally, Gabbard confirmed that the daily intelligence briefing would not be shared with President Biden, in line with a previous promise by Trump. Clearances were also revoked for individuals involved in legal actions against Trump, such as New York Attorney General Letitia James and Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg. Mark Zaid, a lawyer known for representing whistleblowers, also had his security clearance revoked by Gabbard. Zaid was involved in a whistleblower complaint that led to Trump’s impeachment inquiry in the House. Zaid expressed concerns over the lack of due process in the revocation of his clearance, likening the situation to retaliation for his effective representation of clients against the Trump administration.
“Zaid emphasized the need to hold the Trump Administration accountable for its actions in an email. With nearly 25 years of security clearance, Zaid disclosed that the Trump administration granted him a higher-level top-secret clearance during Trump’s first term for a whistleblower case involving the Department of Homeland Security. Kevin Carroll, who has represented intelligence officers in lawsuits against the government, expressed concerns that this action against Zaid could push whistleblowers towards riskier methods to raise awareness about their concerns. Carroll stressed the importance of whistleblowers in the intelligence community seeking guidance from security cleared lawyers like Mark Zaid, rather than resorting to figures like Julian Assange of WikiLeaks. A former national security official warned that this decision could hinder the Trump administration’s ability to address global threats, as it cuts off access to insights from predecessors with security clearances. Trump recently announced the revocation of clearances for attorneys at the well-known Washington law firm of Covington & Burling, which employs lawyers who have worked for previous Democratic presidents. The firm had previously supported former special counsel Jack Smith in cases against Trump related to classified documents and attempts to challenge the 2020 election results. Both cases were dismissed after Trump’s re-election last year, as the Justice Department’s policy prohibits prosecuting a sitting president.”
