This announcement is important for a couple of reasons: First and foremost, it shows that Donald Trump is not as omniscient as he purports to be. This is yet another backing down maneuver, like the withdrawal of Matt Gaetz as attorney general. And secondly, as stated, we are in one hell of a strange world if a president-elect agrees to sign a routine Memorandum Of Understanding during the transltion and normalcy qualifies as breaking news. But here we are.
BREAKING: Donald Trump's transition team has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Department of Justice to allow for FBI background checks of transition officials and nominees.
— Aaron Parnas (@aaronparnas.bsky.social) 2024-12-03T21:18:46.209Z
As stated, there it is. Now we have to wait and see how many of Trump’s nominees end up in the same boat as his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who could not pass an FBI background check on multiple occasions, but his father-in-law got him a clearance anyway — and the CIA was amazed. Remember this?
The White House office only determines eligibility for secret and top-secret clearances. As a very senior official, Kushner was seeking an even higher designation that would grant him access to what is known as “sensitive compartmented information,” or SCI. That material makes up the government’s most sensitive secrets, including transcripts of intercepted foreign communications, CIA source reporting and other intelligence seemingly important for Kushner, whose job portfolio covers the Mideast and Mexico.
The CIA is the agency that decides whether to grant SCI clearance to senior White House officials after conducting a further background check.
After Kline overruled the White House security specialists and recommended Kushner for a top-secret clearance, Kushner’s file then went to the CIA for a ruling on SCI.
After reviewing the file, CIA officers who make clearance decisions balked, two of the people familiar with the matter said. One called over to the White House security division, wondering how Kushner got even a top-secret clearance, the sources said. Top-secret information is defined as material that would cause “exceptionally grave damage” to national security if disclosed to adversaries.
We’re at least at step one, keeping people who are not qualified from access to this kind of material. And let’s be happy to have gotten that far. I’m sure the back story on why Trump decided to roll over is intriguing and I expect that we’ll know more about that as the day progresses.
And again, we need to remember that we listen to Trump’s hyperbole but that does not necessarily mean that he can do everything that he says. He’s already losing key battles and this is another one of them and it’s only the 3rd of December.
“Normalcy qualifies as breaking news.”
And he’s not even in power yet.
the Trump news vortex has begun.
People expecting to be picked for a position that would require a clearance (and therefore background investigation) typically prepare ahead of time. Maybe not all the way but with some of the info. they know they will need to provide to get things started. Even if “cold-turkey” within two or three days major red flags like those with Hegseth would have popped up. Keep in mind that proposing someone for a top job isn’t the same as a formal submission of a nomination to the Senate. Confirmations in some cases can be swift and people can be confirmed prior to a President being sworn in. But talking with someone privately and telling them to get ready for an FBI check keeps some names from ever being floated.
Trump may have told some of these people he’d simply install them, via the recess appt. process if he had to but don’t worry about the FBI. He (Trump) would take care of it. However some of these people, knowing a deep dive (and believe me it IS deep) would take place decide no, they’d rather not be put up for a top job after all. When you think about it some of their stuff the FBI learns can wind up being referred for CRIMINAL investigation.
Here’s the other thing. For one of the hard-core investigations for a top position it’s IMPOSSIBLE to keep it quiet. The actual report the Senators would see is confidential as it should be. However you have to understand the process. The FBI conducts interviews with people you’ve known since you were young. They visit neighborhoods and/or buildings where you lived, your schools, places you’ve worked and they talk to everyone about you. And THOSE people will tell other people about talking to the FBI about you. Word gets out. It always does. So, as I said some people are blinded by ambition but you’d be surprised at how many take a cold, hard look at things and maybe even talk to family (because THEY will get caught up in it all and any scandal covers them too) and say thanks for offering but I’ll pass.
I think the other factor is there ARE a couple of people down there in FL who’ve been shunted off to the side who actually know shit. Who said to use the process and let it work because before making big announcements stuff like with Hegseth would have been learned and they could have moved on to someone else. Gaetz was a known commodity and very much an “in your face” type thing. I’m starting to wonder if Trump was ever serious about him being AG. Ole Bratty Matty might have pissed Trump off in some way we don’t know about and Trump decided to feed him into the wood chipper just for fun.
I’m not about to go saying things might not be as bad as we feared. I DO however think that for the moment at least Trump has blinked. Gaetz might have been expected to go down in flames but with nominees like Gabbard, Noem, Hegseth, Patel and who the hell knows who else Senators might be saying one thing publicly but privately telling the top folks on Trump’s team “find someone else.” In other words Trump might, might I emphasize be starting to think he won’t be able to roll the GOP on Capitol Hill the way he assumed he’d be able to do.
maybe, but Trump can just override the fbi on the clearances. this he gets to see all the dirt himself.
Two.questions:
1) What does the F.B.I. have on Donnie that he gave in?
2) What top secret info.did Jared pass on to Netanyahu? Because you know he did when he had the chance.