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Nixon Could Ruin His Enemies. Trump Can’t
The enemies list is a distraction that could solidify a Democratic corruption narrative.
The recent revocation of former CIA director John Brennan’s security clearance has caused a considerable amount of consternation among pundits. Brennan himself does not frequently use or need his security clearance. The real problem, according to numerous writers, was what Trump threatened to do next. Trump’s announcement about Brennan came with a warning that nine other Obama-era security officials (and one current Department of Justice employee) would be stripped of their security clearances at a future date. This action would restrict the ability of these officials to review classified information and use their clearances to secure contractor jobs after their time in government.
There were two responses to the story. The first was speculation about the reasons for the revocation. Was it simply an effort to distract from Omarosa and the Russia investigation? Was it an attempt to create a “goon squad” in the Department of Justice, as New York Magazine’s Jonathan Chait claimed? Or was the effort simply a tantrum, an outburst against critics by a president who could do nothing more to stop the Russia investigation?
The other response focused on the list of Trump critics who may lose their clearances in the near future. Writers…