Clearance as Retribution: ODNI’s Weaponization of Access
The Steady State | Christopher Burgess
The recent revocation of security clearances by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) is not a matter of national security, rather it is a calculated act of political revenge. Thirty-seven officials, many of whom played key roles in assessing foreign interference in U.S. elections, have been stripped of access (if they still had it) without due process, without substantiated evidence, and without regard for the professional standards that once defined the intelligence community.
This is not a purge of bad actors. It is a purge of inconvenient ones.
The memo issued by Director Tulsi Gabbard cites vague allegations of politicization, leaks, and tradecraft violations, yet offers no concrete proof. It reads less like a professional directive and more like a retaliatory editorial. It is an attempt to rewrite history by punishing those who authored it. The individuals targeted include veterans of the 2017 intelligence assessment that concluded Russia interfered in the 2016 election to benefit Donald Trump. Their clearances are not being revoked for what they did wrong, but for what they revealed.
Security clearance is not a privilege granted by political favor. It is a trust-bearing credential earned through years of service, scrutiny, and adherence to protocol. To weaponize it is to undermine the very infrastructure of national intelligence. It sends a chilling message to current and future professionals: loyalty to truth may cost you access, reputation, and livelihood.
The implications are profound. Operational continuity suffers when seasoned experts are removed without cause. Morale erodes when political loyalty supersedes professional merit. And public trust collapses when intelligence oversight becomes a stage for vendetta.
This is not the first time the national security clearance has been used as a cudgel. But it may be the most sweeping and brazen. The absence of procedural transparency, the targeting of specific individuals tied to politically sensitive investigations, and the timing, coinciding with renewed efforts to discredit the Russia probe, all suggest a coordinated campaign of retribution.
We must call this what it is: an abuse of institutional power.
The intelligence community is not immune to critique. It must be held accountable, especially when it errs. But accountability requires evidence, process, and integrity. What we are witnessing is not reform, it is retaliation. It is the erosion of professional norms in favor of political theater.
If the ODNI wishes to restore credibility, it must reverse course. Reinstate clearances where no wrongdoing is proven. Establish independent review mechanisms. And reaffirm that intelligence work is grounded in truth, not allegiance.
Christopher Burgess has spent a lifetime stewarding truth, from 30+ years in the CIA to executive roles in the private sector. His leadership bridges intelligence and enterprise, blending operational clarity with cultural acuity. Always in service of resilience, meaning, and mission. He is a member of The Steady State.
Founded in 2016, The Steady State is a nonpartisan, nonprofit 501(c)(4) organization of more than 300 former senior national security professionals. Our membership includes former officials from the CIA, FBI, Department of State, Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security. Drawing on deep expertise across national security disciplines including intelligence, diplomacy, military affairs and law, we advocate for constitutional democracy, the rule of law and the preservation of America’s national security institutions.