Democrats seek information on Trump administration's security clearance
revocations
[September 09, 2025]
WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic lawmakers on the House Intelligence
Committee asked the Trump administration on Monday about its reasons for
revoking the security clearances of 37 current and former national
security officials.
In a letter to Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, the
lawmakers asked for the specific reasons for each revocations, and
whether standard clearance review procedures were followed.
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Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, speaks during a cabinet
meeting with President Donald Trump, Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2025, at the
White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) |
The Democrats also asked whether the government notified those
affected before the revocations were announced, and whether the
Trump administration considered the impact the revocations would
have on national security.
So many revocations either reflects deep problems with
government vetting or suggests the process has become
politicized, the lawmakers wrote.
“Your move was therefore immensely consequential to the national
security of the United States,” the Democrats wrote. “It is
imperative that Congress be satisfied that you are not
politicizing the work of the intelligence community or using the
security clearance process for political ends.”
Gabbard has justified the revocations by saying the 37 current
and former officials all either tried to politicize their work
or failed to meet some other professional standard.
A spokesperson for her agency has said all relevant government
agencies were notified of the revocations, and that no
undercover spies were exposed by the move.
In a memo detailing the revocations, Gabbard accused those
singled out of having engaged in the “politicization or
weaponization of intelligence” to advance personal or partisan
goals, failing to safeguard classified information, failing to
“adhere to professional analytic tradecraft standards” and other
unspecified “detrimental” conduct.
Gabbard's memo did not offer evidence to back up the
accusations.
The letter from the Democratic lawmakers seeks responses by
Sept. 19. It was signed by U.S. Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut,
the senior Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, as well
as the 11 other Democratic lawmakers serving on the panel.
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