HOLD FORMER GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS ACCOUNTABLE FOR ELECTION INTERFERENCE AND INAPPROPRIATE DISCLOSURE OF SENSITIVE GOVERNMENT INFORMATION

Pursuant to the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and laws of the United States of America, it is ordered:

Section 1. Purpose. In the final weeks of the 2020 presidential campaign, at least 51 former intelligence officials coordinated with the Biden campaign to release a letter discrediting reports that the president’s son Joseph R. Biden had abandoned his laptop in a computer repair company. The signatories to the letter falsely suggested that the article was part of a Russian disinformation campaign.

Before being released, the letter was sent to the CIA’s Pre-Publication Classification Review Committee, the body typically responsible for formally evaluating the sensitive nature of documents before their release. Senior CIA officials were briefed on the contents of the letter, and several signatories held clearances and had ongoing contractual relationships with the CIA at the time.

Federal policymakers must be able to rely on analyzes conducted by the intelligence community and be confident that they are accurate, professionally developed, and free from politically motivated engineering intended to influence policy outcomes in the United States. The signatories deliberately used the weight of the intelligence community as a weapon to manipulate the political process and undermine our democratic institutions. This fabrication of the intelligence community’s imprimatur to suppress information vital to the American people during a presidential election is a blatant breach of trust reminiscent of a third world country. And now, Americans’ trust in every other patriotic intelligence professional sworn to protect the nation is in jeopardy.

National security is also undermined by the publication of classified information. Former National Security Advisor John R. Bolton published a memoir for profit after he was removed from his White House post in 2019. The book was full of sensitive information from his time in government. The briefs’ careless handling of sensitive information undermined the ability of future presidents to seek and obtain frank advice on national security matters from their staffs. The release also created a serious risk that classified documents would be exposed publicly.

To remedy these breaches of public trust, this order directs the revocation of any active or current security clearances held by: (i) former intelligence officials who engaged in deceptive and inappropriate political coordination with the presidential campaign of 2020 Biden; and (ii) John R. Bolton.

Second. 2. Politics. (a) It is the policy of the United States to ensure that the intelligence community is not engaged in partisan politics or otherwise used by any U.S. political campaign for electoral purposes. The term “Intelligence Community” has the meaning given to it in section 3003 of title 50, United States Code.

(b) It is the policy of the United States that persons holding government-issued security clearances shall not use their clearance status to influence U.S. elections.

(c) It is the policy of the United States that classified information is not publicly disclosed in memoirs, particularly those published for personal gain.

Second. 3. Implementation. (a) Effective immediately, the Director of National Intelligence, in consultation with the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, will revoke any current or active authorization held by the following individuals:

(1) James R. Clapper Jr.

(2) Michael V. Hayden

(3) Leon E. Panetta

(4) John O. Brennan

(5) C.Thomas Fingar

(6) Richard H. Ledgett Jr.

(7) John E. McLaughlin

(8) Michael J. Morell

(9) Michael G. Vickers

(10) Douglas H. Wise

(11) Nicolas J. Rasmussen

(12) Russell E. Travers

(13) Andrew Liepman

(14) John H. Moseman

(15) Larry Pfeiffer

(16) Jeremy B. Bash

(17) Rodney Snyder

(18) Glenn S. Gerstell

(19) David B. Buckley

(20) Nada G. Bakos

(21) James B. Bruce

(22) David S. Cariens

(23) Janice Cariens

(24) Paul R. Kolbe

(25) Peter L. Corsell

(26) Roger Z. George

(27) Steven L. Hall

(28) Kent Harrington

(29) Don Hepburn

(30) Timothy D. Kilbourn

(31) Ronald A. Marques

(32) Jonna H. Mendez

(33) Émile Nakhleh

(34) Gerald A. O’Shea

(35) David Priess

(36) Pamela Purcilly

(37) Marc Polyméropoulos

(38) Chris Savos

(39) Nick Shapiro

(40) John Sipher

(41) Stephen B. Slick

(42) Cynthia Strand

(43) Greg Tarbell

(44) David Terry

(45) Gregory F. Treverton

(46) John D. Tullius

(47) David A. Vanell

(48) Winston P. Wiley

(49) Kristin Wood

(50) John R. Bolton

Two signatories, Patty Patricia A. Brandmaeir and Brett Davis, are deceased.

(b) Within 90 days of this order, the Director of National Intelligence, in consultation with the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, shall submit a report to the President through the National Security Advisor that details:

(i) any additional inappropriate activity that occurred within the intelligence community, by anyone engaged by the intelligence community, or by anyone holding a security clearance, related to the letter signed by the 51 former intelligence officials;

(ii) recommendations to prevent the intelligence community or anyone working for or within it from inappropriately influencing national elections; And

(iii) any disciplinary action – including removal of security clearances – that should be taken against anyone who engaged in inappropriate conduct related to the letter signed by the 51 former intelligence officials.

Second. 4. General provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed as impairing or otherwise affecting:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or to its head; Or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative or legislative proposals.

(b) This Order will be implemented in accordance with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

(c) This order is not intended to and does not create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies or entities, its officers, employees. , or agents, or any other person.

THE WHITE HOUSE, January 20, 2025.