The Deep State Weaponizes Vetting of Trump Appointees
< < Go Back
By Sean M. Bigley,
Unaccountable Pentagon officials block a security clearance for a would-be White House aide.
Nothing ends a Washington career like being branded an unacceptable national-security risk. That’s why officials adjudicating personnel-security cases must act in a mature, objective and nonpartisan fashion. But when it comes to vetting Trump appointees, they often aren’t. Instead, security clearances are being weaponized against the White House by hostile career bureaucrats, thwarting the president’s agenda by holding up or blocking appointees.
Consider the case of Adam Lovinger. Mr. Lovinger is a highly regarded and politically conservative Defense Department official. In January 2017, the Trump administration made a “by name” request for him to serve as a senior director on the White House National Security Council.
More From The Wall Street Journal (subscription required):
Rss Feed