- FBI background checks halted for Trump aides after White House deemed process intrusive
- Pentagon now handles clearances amid historic distrust of FBI leadership
- Security experts warn of risks from rushed vetting for sensitive roles
- Process shift follows Trump's 2024 memo granting interim top-secret clearances
The White House's unprecedented decision to remove FBI oversight from senior staff vetting has ignited bipartisan alarm. Sources confirm the Bureau paused dozens of investigations in February after initial interviews revealed potentially sensitive information about appointees' financial ties and foreign contacts. This abrupt policy reversal breaks with seven decades of protocol for presidential personnel reviews.
Former national security officials describe the Pentagon takeover as dangerously politicized. The FBI's counterintelligence expertise is irreplaceable for detecting compromise risks,noted a Clinton-era security director. Transferring this to military agencies creates blindspots - imagine if a foreign power infiltrates cabinet meetings through an improperly vetted aide.
This controversy echoes 2017 clearance scandals when Jared Kushner received interim top-secret access despite undisclosed foreign loans. Unlike that temporary measure, the current policy permanently sidelines FBI investigators for all non-Senate-confirmed roles. Legal analysts suggest this could violate Executive Order 13764, which mandates apolitical clearance processes.
The Pentagon's Defense Counterintelligence Agency now faces a 300% surge in cases without additional funding. Insiders report agents are rubber-stamping forms in 72 hours versus the FBI's standard 3-week deep dives. A DCSA memo obtained by ABC News warns of incomplete financial profilingdue to restricted access to Treasury databases.
As 74 Trump loyalists await full clearances, cybersecurity experts highlight vulnerabilities. Fast-tracking access to classified networks without proper vetting is how insider threats happen,said MITRE Corporation's lead threat analyst. This isn't about politics - it's basic counterespionage hygiene.