Holding Former Government Officials Accountable for Election Interference and Improper Disclosure of Sensitive Governmental Information, 8343-8346 [2025-01954]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 18 / Wednesday, January 29, 2025 / Presidential Documents 8343 Presidential Documents Executive Order 14152 of January 20, 2025 Holding Former Government Officials Accountable for Election Interference and Improper Disclosure of Sensitive Governmental Information By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered: Section 1. Purpose. In the closing weeks of the 2020 Presidential campaign, at least 51 former intelligence officials coordinated with the Biden campaign to issue a letter discrediting the reporting that President Joseph R. Biden’s son had abandoned his laptop at a computer repair business. Signatories of the letter falsely suggested that the news story was part of a Russian disinformation campaign. Before being issued, the letter was sent to the CIA Prepublication Classification Review Board, the body typically assigned to formally evaluate the sensitive nature of documents prior to publication. Senior CIA officials were made aware of the contents of the letter, and multiple signatories held clearances at the time and maintained ongoing contractual relationships with the CIA. Federal policymakers must be able to rely on analysis conducted by the Intelligence Community and be confident that it is accurate, crafted with professionalism, and free from politically motivated engineering to affect political outcomes in the United States. The signatories willfully weaponized the gravitas of the Intelligence Community to manipulate the political process and undermine our democratic institutions. This fabrication of the imprimatur of the Intelligence Community to suppress information essential to the American people during a Presidential election is an egregious breach of trust reminiscent of a third world country. And now the faith of Americans in all other patriotic intelligence professionals who are sworn to protect the Nation has been imperiled. National security is also damaged by the publication of classified information. Former National Security Advisor John R. Bolton published a memoir for monetary gain after he was terminated from his White House position in 2019. The book was rife with sensitive information drawn from his time in government. The memoir’s reckless treatment of sensitive information undermined the ability of future presidents to request and obtain candid advice on matters of national security from their staff. Publication also created a grave risk that classified material was publicly exposed. khammond on DSK9W7S144PROD with PRESDOC6 To remedy these abuses of the public trust, this Order directs the revocation of any active or current security clearances held by: (i) the former intelligence officials who engaged in misleading and inappropriate political coordination with the 2020 Biden presidential campaign; and (ii) John R. Bolton. Sec. 2. Policy. (a) It is the policy of the United States to ensure that the Intelligence Community not be engaged in partisan politics or otherwise used by a U.S. political campaign for electioneering purposes. The term ‘‘Intelligence Community’’ has the meaning given the term in section 3003 of title 50, United States Code. (b) It is the policy of the United States that individuals who hold government-issued security clearances should not use their clearance status to influence U.S. elections. VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:00 Jan 28, 2025 Jkt 265001 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4790 Sfmt 4790 E:\FR\FM\29JAE2.SGM 29JAE2 8344 Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 18 / Wednesday, January 29, 2025 / Presidential Documents (c) It is the policy of the United States that classified information not be publicly disclosed in memoirs, especially those published for personal monetary gain. Sec. 3. Implementation. (a) Effective immediately, the Director of National Intelligence, in consultation with the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, shall revoke any current or active clearances 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) Nicholas 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. Marks khammond on DSK9W7S144PROD with PRESDOC6 (32) Jonna H. Mendez (33) Emile Nakhleh (34) Gerald A. O’Shea (35) David Priess (36) Pamela Purcilly (37) Marc Polymeropoulos (38) Chris Savos VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:00 Jan 28, 2025 Jkt 265001 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4790 Sfmt 4790 E:\FR\FM\29JAE2.SGM 29JAE2 Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 18 / Wednesday, January 29, 2025 / Presidential Documents 8345 (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 contracted by the Intelligence Community or by anyone who held a security clearance, related to the letter signed by the 51 former intelligence officials; (ii) recommendations to prevent the Intelligence Community or anyone who works for or within it from inappropriately influencing domestic elections; and (iii) any disciplinary action—including the termination 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. Sec. 4. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect: (i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or khammond on DSK9W7S144PROD with PRESDOC6 (ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals. (b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations. VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:00 Jan 28, 2025 Jkt 265001 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 4790 Sfmt 4790 E:\FR\FM\29JAE2.SGM 29JAE2 8346 Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 18 / Wednesday, January 29, 2025 / Presidential Documents (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. [FR Doc. 2025–01954 Filed 1–28–25; 8:45 am] VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:00 Jan 28, 2025 Jkt 265001 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 4790 Sfmt 4790 E:\FR\FM\29JAE2.SGM 29JAE2 Trump.EPS</GPH> khammond on DSK9W7S144PROD with PRESDOC6 Billing code 3395–F4–P

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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 18 (Wednesday, January 29, 2025)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 8343-8346]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-01954]




                        Presidential Documents 



Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 18 / Wednesday, January 29, 2025 / 
Presidential Documents

[[Page 8343]]


                Executive Order 14152 of January 20, 2025

                
Holding Former Government Officials Accountable 
                for Election Interference and Improper Disclosure of 
                Sensitive Governmental Information

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

                Section 1. Purpose. In the closing weeks of the 2020 
                Presidential campaign, at least 51 former intelligence 
                officials coordinated with the Biden campaign to issue 
                a letter discrediting the reporting that President 
                Joseph R. Biden's son had abandoned his laptop at a 
                computer repair business. Signatories of the letter 
                falsely suggested that the news story was part of a 
                Russian disinformation campaign.

                Before being issued, the letter was sent to the CIA 
                Prepublication Classification Review Board, the body 
                typically assigned to formally evaluate the sensitive 
                nature of documents prior to publication. Senior CIA 
                officials were made aware of the contents of the 
                letter, and multiple signatories held clearances at the 
                time and maintained ongoing contractual relationships 
                with the CIA.

                Federal policymakers must be able to rely on analysis 
                conducted by the Intelligence Community and be 
                confident that it is accurate, crafted with 
                professionalism, and free from politically motivated 
                engineering to affect political outcomes in the United 
                States. The signatories willfully weaponized the 
                gravitas of the Intelligence Community to manipulate 
                the political process and undermine our democratic 
                institutions. This fabrication of the imprimatur of the 
                Intelligence Community to suppress information 
                essential to the American people during a Presidential 
                election is an egregious breach of trust reminiscent of 
                a third world country. And now the faith of Americans 
                in all other patriotic intelligence professionals who 
                are sworn to protect the Nation has been imperiled.

                National security is also damaged by the publication of 
                classified information. Former National Security 
                Advisor John R. Bolton published a memoir for monetary 
                gain after he was terminated from his White House 
                position in 2019. The book was rife with sensitive 
                information drawn from his time in government. The 
                memoir's reckless treatment of sensitive information 
                undermined the ability of future presidents to request 
                and obtain candid advice on matters of national 
                security from their staff. Publication also created a 
                grave risk that classified material was publicly 
                exposed.

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

                Sec. 2. Policy. (a) It is the policy of the United 
                States to ensure that the Intelligence Community not be 
                engaged in partisan politics or otherwise used by a 
                U.S. political campaign for electioneering purposes. 
                The term ``Intelligence Community'' has the meaning 
                given the term in section 3003 of title 50, United 
                States Code.

                    (b) It is the policy of the United States that 
                individuals who hold government-issued security 
                clearances should not use their clearance status to 
                influence U.S. elections.

[[Page 8344]]

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

                Sec. 3. Implementation. (a) Effective immediately, the 
                Director of National Intelligence, in consultation with 
                the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, shall 
                revoke any current or active clearances 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) Nicholas 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. Marks
                    (32) Jonna H. Mendez
                    (33) Emile Nakhleh
                    (34) Gerald A. O'Shea
                    (35) David Priess
                    (36) Pamela Purcilly
                    (37) Marc Polymeropoulos
                    (38) Chris Savos

[[Page 8345]]

                    (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 contracted by the Intelligence Community 
or by anyone who held a security clearance, related to the letter signed by 
the 51 former intelligence officials;

(ii) recommendations to prevent the Intelligence Community or anyone who 
works for or within it from inappropriately influencing domestic elections; 
and

(iii) any disciplinary action--including the termination 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.

                Sec. 4. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order 
                shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

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

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

                    (b) This order shall be implemented consistent with 
                applicable law and subject to the availability of 
                appropriations.

[[Page 8346]]

                    (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.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

                THE WHITE HOUSE,

                    January 20, 2025.

[FR Doc. 2025-01954
Filed 1-28-25; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3395-F4-P
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