21 January 2025

Trump just issued an executive order stripping the security clearances of the 50 or so who signed the letter saying that the Hunter Biden laptop story was Russian disinformation. I assume that includes (text redacted).

I don’t know what the rules are with respect to a clearance when you’ve left a granting agency. In Panama, I had a blue (Confidential) clearance. I don’t believe I ever had a red (Secret) clearance. Before Panama, I had a Top Secret clearance, but the granting agency never told me that I had been given that clearance.

In the Noriega case and one other case I was offered Top Secret clearances but I turned them down. That pissed everyone off, but that’s another story. I can’t believe I’d be bound by that uncommunicated clearance, but who knows? I did send my Hotel Arbez piece to the CIA for clearance–I didn’t want to end up like John Kiriakou.