Trump says son-in-law's clearance is up to Kelly

Rogue Valley · Feb 24, 2018

Trump says son-in-law's clearance is up to Kelly

JILL COLVIN and ZEKE MILLER
Associated Press
February 23, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says he'll leave it up to chief of staff John Kelly to decide whether Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, will keep his interim security clearance. "I will let General Kelly make that decision and he's going to do what's right for the country and I have no doubt he'll make the right decision," Trump said during a joint press conference with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, where he addressed the security clearance issue for the first time. Kushner is one of dozens of White House aides who have been working without permanent security clearances for the better part of a year. Kelly, in a memo released last week, had set a Friday deadline for halting access to top secret information for those whose applications have been pending since June 1 or before that date. Some officials are expected to leave their posts as a result, while others will continue working with reduced — or no — access to classified information.

The White House's handling of security clearances has come under intense scrutiny in the wake of revelations that former White House staff secretary Rob Porter had worked for more than a year with only interim clearance. Porter, whose job gave him constant access to the most sensitive of documents, had been accused of domestic abuse by his two ex-wives. The White House has repeatedly changed its timeline about who knew what and when about the allegations, and the scandal has weakened Kelly's standing, both among staffers and the president. The debate over security clearance has also heightened existing tensions between Kushner and Kelly. Kushner has been forced to repeatedly correct omissions in his "SF-86," the government-wide form used to apply for clearances, as well as his financial disclosure forms, which experts said could delay or even nix his chances of earning a clearance through the normal process. Kushner has also come under scrutiny in special counsel Robert Mueller's ongoing investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

Kelly and Kushner have never gotten along very well. Kelly has been agitated at Kushner's easy access to highly classified information without a proper security clearance and his unfettered access to Trump (the nepotism). The negative vibes are mutual. Lately, Kushner and his wife Ivanka Trump have been stabbing Kelly in the back, privately complaining to Trump of Kelly's handling of the Rob Porter fiasco. After Special Counsel Robert Mueller brought additional indictments this week against former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort and the guilty plea of former Trump aide Robert Gates, the DoJ said this week that the Department's formal security clearance decision regarding Jared Kushner will be delayed.

Winston · Feb 24, 2018

Rogue Valley said:
Trump says son-in-law's clearance is up to Kelly

Kelly and Kushner have never gotten along very well. Kelly has been agitated at Kushner's easy access to highly classified information without a proper security clearance and his unfettered access to Trump (the nepotism). The negative vibes are mutual. Lately, Kushner and his wife Ivanka Trump have been stabbing Kelly in the back, privately complaining to Trump of Kelly's handling of the Rob Porter fiasco. After Special Counsel Robert Mueller brought additional indictments this week against former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort and the guilty plea of former Trump aide Robert Gates, the DoJ said this week that the Department's formal security clearance decision regarding Jared Kushner will be delayed.

This is an odd story.

Palace intrigue is normal in the Trump WH.

But, Trump is abdicating responsibility and passing the buck somewhere else. I guess it's not that odd to me. But, it would be odd to a MAGA person, because Trump projects confidence and competence. When we have a story like this emerging, that shows Trump is an incompetent or ineffective manager.

WTF? Does Kushner or does Kushner not get security clearance? What if Chelsea Clinton's husband was just sort of 'in limbo' with his clearance.. if HRC had won. You think the right would've shut up about it?

Rexedgar · Feb 24, 2018

Winston said:
This is an odd story.

Palace intrigue is normal in the Trump WH.

But, Trump is abdicating responsibility and passing the buck somewhere else. I guess it's not that odd to me. But, it would be odd to a MAGA person, because Trump projects confidence and competence. When we have a story like this emerging, that shows Trump is an incompetent or ineffective manager.

WTF? Does Kushner or does Kushner not get security clearance? What if Chelsea Clinton's husband was just sort of 'in limbo' with his clearance.. if HRC had won. You think the right would've shut up about it?

I read that the clearance is not delayed but denied. Partially because of the huge debt Kushner is liable for. Trump stated that Gen. Kelly 'will do the right thing.' Yesterday was to be the deadline on all WH clearances, wasn't it?

Winston · Feb 24, 2018

Rexedgar said:
I read that the clearance is not delayed but denied. Partially because of the huge debt Kushner is liable for. Trump stated that Gen. Kelly 'will do the right thing.' Yesterday was to be the deadline on all WH clearances, wasn't it?

I'm sure Trump made some vague statement, passing the buck.

Wouldn't a strong leader state something clear and decisive?

Risky Thicket · Feb 24, 2018

Rogue Valley said:
Trump says son-in-law's clearance is up to Kelly

Kelly and Kushner have never gotten along very well. Kelly has been agitated at Kushner's easy access to highly classified information without a proper security clearance and his unfettered access to Trump (the nepotism). The negative vibes are mutual. Lately, Kushner and his wife Ivanka Trump have been stabbing Kelly in the back, privately complaining to Trump of Kelly's handling of the Rob Porter fiasco. After Special Counsel Robert Mueller brought additional indictments this week against former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort and the guilty plea of former Trump aide Robert Gates, the DoJ said this week that the Department's formal security clearance decision regarding Jared Kushner will be delayed.

Trump's "the best people" with which he has surrounded himself are for the most dips hits. And then there's Trump's family :roll: making shady sumbitches and inexperienced dips hits redundant.

Why does the nation need Kushner and Ivanka to handle and act upon TS/SCI information? Well, for one reason, Trump has surrounded himself with shady sumbitches, white collar criminals, inexperienced morons. Trump has marginalized what few experienced and honorable people who haven't left. Trump doesn't trust anyone.

That's something to consider. To be fair, if you were Trump would you trust anyone you hired? Hell, most of us wouldn't. No wonder Trump can't sleep at night!

Trump doesn't read. That is an important consideration. It should be obvious to anyone with at least the IQ of a large rabbit that most of the time Trump doesn't know what he is talking about. Really. Listen to him talk about policy. He rarely has even a basic concept of subject at hand. Details? Even a few details? Forget it.

Trump spends a chunk of his day watching television. The man promised his fans he wouldn't be playing a lot of golf "like Obama". When Trump isn't watching the telly, or working from 11AM to 4AM he damn sure isn't reading reports and policy background. We know this because in many instances the general public knows more details in policy issues than Trump.

On weekends is Trump in the White House? Hardly. More likely than not Trump spends his weekends at Mar-A-Lardo playing golf.

So who's minding the store the majority of the time? Not the feckwits and semi-criminals hired on like DeVos, Mulvaney, Pruitt and the like. Trump needs people he can trust to actually run the government and watch over shysters. Trump has a few people left that he semi trusts such as Kelly and McMasters, but he doesn't fully trust them.

Trump trusts Jared and Ivanka to read the information such as daily briefings that Trump won't read, to explain the policy that Trump won't read and cannot understand. Jared and Ivanka. Jesus H. Christ. Neither are qualified. Neither can get TS/SCI clearance. Both are working part-time in the WH. Both have major distractions beyond their play jobs as Trump advisors.

Trump deeply depends on Kushner to do what Trump can't and won't do. If Kushner isn't covering for him, Trump has no one. Well, there's Ivanka. :roll: But if Kushner can't get a TC/SCI neither can Ivanka.

Mach · Feb 24, 2018

This entire situation is absurd. Trump puts his inexperienced son and daughter directly into the White House handling top secret classified data and heading up significant matters of the nation.

That alone is so far out of the realm of OK and appropriate that it should have been enough to put his ass in a sling immediately.

But here we are, with Kushner unable to even be cleared for it, and the White House lying about it (trotting Sanders out to lie as usual) over and over, and now it's up to Kelly? Good lord. If the FBI doesn't clear him, you walk him the **** OUT. Why is it being passed off to anyone at all anyway? Not cleared, not OK to be handling our nations info! LOCK HER UP! Oh wait.

Can you imagine if Obama had put relatives in there with no experience? Maybe a former preacher or someone who wore traditional African American clothing? Ooh boy.

Rexedgar · Feb 24, 2018

Mach said:
This entire situation is absurd. Trump puts his inexperienced son and daughter directly into the White House handling top secret classified data and heading up significant matters of the nation.

That alone is so far out of the realm of OK and appropriate that it should have been enough to put his ass in a sling immediately.

But here we are, with Kushner unable to even be cleared for it, and the White House lying about it (trotting Sanders out to lie as usual) over and over, and now it's up to Kelly? Good lord. If the FBI doesn't clear him, you walk him the **** OUT. Why is it being passed off to anyone at all anyway? Not cleared, not OK to be handling our nations info! LOCK HER UP! Oh wait.

Can you imagine if Obama had put relatives in there with no experience? Maybe a former preacher or someone who wore traditional African American clothing? Ooh boy.

If IRC there was quite a stink made when Obama's mother-in-law moved in as nanny-in-chief!

http://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0LE...hite-hou/RK=2/RS=hjAtj0lL.yeFjA5FyZgSyJ5Op_Y-

Some comments are tame by current events.....

Removable Mind · Feb 24, 2018

Risky Thicket said:
Trump's "the best people" with which he has surrounded himself are for the most dips hits. And then there's Trump's family :roll: making shady sumbitches and inexperienced dips hits redundant.

Why does the nation need Kushner and Ivanka to handle and act upon TS/SCI information? Well, for one reason, Trump has surrounded himself with shady sumbitches, white collar criminals, inexperienced morons. Trump has marginalized what few experienced and honorable people who haven't left. Trump doesn't trust anyone.

That's something to consider. To be fair, if you were Trump would you trust anyone you hired? Hell, most of us wouldn't. No wonder Trump can't sleep at night!

Trump doesn't read. That is an important consideration. It should be obvious to anyone with at least the IQ of a large rabbit that most of the time Trump doesn't know what he is talking about. Really. He rarely has even a basic concept of subject at hand. Details? Even a few details? Forget it.

Trump spends a chunk of his day watching television. The man promised his fans he wouldn't be playing a lot of golf "like Obama". When Trump isn't watching the telly, or working from 11AM to 4AM he damn sure isn't reading reports and policy background. We know this because in many instances the general public knows more details in policy issues than Trump.

On weekends is Trump in the White House? Hardly. More likely than not Trump spends his weekends at Mar-A-Lardo playing golf.

So who's minding the store the majority of the time? Not the feckwits and semi-criminals hired on like DeVos, Mulvaney, Pruitt and the like. Trump needs people he can trust to actually run the government and watch over shysters. Trump has a few people left that he semi trusts such as Kelly and McMasters, but he doesn't fully trust them.

Trump trusts Jared and Ivanka to read the information such as daily briefings that Trump won't read, to explain the policy that Trump won't read and cannot understand. Jared and Ivanka. Jesus H. Christ. Neither are qualified. Neither can get TS/SCI clearance. Both are working part-time in the WH. Both have major distractions beyond their play jobs as Trump advisors.

Trump deeply depends on Kushner to do what Trump can't and won't do. If Kushner isn't covering for him, Trump has no one. Well, there's Ivanka. :roll: But if Kushner can't get a TC/SCI neither can Ivanka.

Years ago I met a successful cattle broker. After getting to know him, I learned that he only had a 3rd grade education. Yet he was completely up on all of the important elements related to live cattle commodities. He talked about how he had to keep up with various regional weather conditions, which affects crops like hay and corn important to cattle feeding, local to global demand for beef. He closely followed by-product information related to things like milk production, consumer meat prices, and the leather markets.

I hesitated to bring up something that was pretty astonishing to me, but I forced myself to say to him, "That's incredible amount of information to constantly monitor. Only having a third grade education, you must have had to teach yourself more advanced academic skills in order to be able to consume and process all of the variables involved, which you use to keep up with your business."

He said, "no, not really." He said that he had learned most of the business from his dad and his brothers (who had virtually no academic experience). He went on to say that as times changed, his business became more complex. Consequently, he got his daughter, and later her daughter, who were educated and pretty smart, to help him gather up the market reports on all of the things connected to live cattle marketing and contract trades.

He couldn't read a Wall Street Journal or sophisticated commodity reports. But apparently he was smart enough to link himself with people who were able to augment what he knew by experience. People who could analyze complex information to help him successfully maintain his business, despite his academic shortcomings.

Trump apparently has enough smarts to surround himself with people who know all of the ends and outs of real estate. Add that to what his dad taught him about the business - he's pulled off being a shady sort of business guy who was driven by his megalomania, narcissistic personality disorders.

But Trump's talent to use other people's know-how, to prop him up, won't work him in an environment way more complex than his real estate world. I don't know how it's possible for Trump to have a high level security clearance.

Bernie Madoff must be laughing his ass off reading about (or watching on TV) Trump's daily escapades.

Fearandloathing · Feb 24, 2018

Rogue Valley said:
Trump says son-in-law's clearance is up to Kelly

Kelly and Kushner have never gotten along very well. Kelly has been agitated at Kushner's easy access to highly classified information without a proper security clearance and his unfettered access to Trump (the nepotism). The negative vibes are mutual. Lately, Kushner and his wife Ivanka Trump have been stabbing Kelly in the back, privately complaining to Trump of Kelly's handling of the Rob Porter fiasco. After Special Counsel Robert Mueller brought additional indictments this week against former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort and the guilty plea of former Trump aide Robert Gates, the DoJ said this week that the Department's formal security clearance decision regarding Jared Kushner will be delayed.

I like to keep things simple.

This is yet another example of how Trump is incompetent and unfit for office.

We know that, we need no more details

Fearandloathing · Feb 24, 2018

Removable Mind said:
Years ago I met a successful cattle broker. After getting to know him, I learned that he only had a 3rd grade education. Yet he was completely up on all of the important elements related to live cattle commodities. He talked about how he had to keep up with various regional weather conditions, which affects crops like hay and corn important to cattle feeding, local to global demand for beef. He closely followed by-product information related to things like milk production, consumer meat prices, and the leather markets.

I hesitated to bring up something that was pretty astonishing to me, but I forced myself to say to him, "That's incredible amount of information to constantly monitor. Only having a third grade education, you must have had to teach yourself more advanced academic skills in order to be able to consume and process all of the variables involved, which you use to keep up with your business."

He said, "no, not really." He said that he had learned most of the business from his dad and his brothers (who had virtually no academic experience). He went on to say that as times changed, his business became more complex. Consequently, he got his daughter, and later her daughter, who were educated and pretty smart, to help him gather up the market reports on all of the things connected to live cattle marketing and contract trades.

He couldn't read a Wall Street Journal or sophisticated commodity reports. But apparently he was smart enough to link himself with people who were able to augment what he knew by experience. People who could analyze complex information to help him successfully maintain his business, despite his academic shortcomings.

Trump apparently has enough smarts to surround himself with people who know all of the ends and outs of real estate. Add that to what his dad taught him about the business - he's pulled off being a shady sort of business guy who was driven by his megalomania, narcissistic personality disorders.

But Trump's talent to use other people's know-how, to prop him up, won't work him in an environment way more complex than his real estate world. I don't know how it's possible for Trump to have a high level security clearance.

Bernie Madoff must be laughing his ass off reading about (or watching on TV) Trump's daily escapades.

The farmer was educated. Self educated, he learned a different way than in school, his influences have actually been specific to his career, where a 'general' education is just that. The guy may not be able to read an understand the Wall Street Journal, but he knows his craft and he knows the market.

But that's all.

Trump as president would be like taking that farmer, making him head of NASA and told him to 'take us to the moon.'

Trump does know The Best people, for intimidating land owners, browbeating municipal staff and shorting the other people at the table. He doen't even know what each of his departments do specifically.

I also suspect that he's remaining mum on the son-in-law issue is he's likely been told it's bad news, really bad news.

Removable Mind · Feb 24, 2018

Fearandloathing said:
The farmer was educated. Self educated, he learned a different way than in school, his influences have actually been specific to his career, where a 'general' education is just that. The guy may not be able to read an understand the Wall Street Journal, but he knows his craft and he knows the market.

But that's all.

Trump as president would be like taking that farmer, making him head of NASA and told him to 'take us to the moon.'

Trump does know The Best people, for intimidating land owners, browbeating municipal staff and shorting the other people at the table. He doesn't even know what each of his departments do specifically.

I also suspect that he's remaining mum on the son-in-law issue is he's likely been told it's bad news, really bad news.

Exactly....

cuban smokes · Feb 24, 2018

Winston said:
I'm sure Trump made some vague statement, passing the buck.

Wouldn't a strong leader state something clear and decisive?

well, not in Trump's case because

(1) Trump is not a leader; he is actually lead himself by whatever the most current & most popular opinion is

(2) Trump is not decisive; he flip flops on every topic like a speared fish .............

Hawkeye10 · Feb 24, 2018

Rogue Valley said:
Trump says son-in-law's clearance is up to Kelly

Kelly and Kushner have never gotten along very well. Kelly has been agitated at Kushner's easy access to highly classified information without a proper security clearance and his unfettered access to Trump (the nepotism). The negative vibes are mutual. Lately, Kushner and his wife Ivanka Trump have been stabbing Kelly in the back, privately complaining to Trump of Kelly's handling of the Rob Porter fiasco. After Special Counsel Robert Mueller brought additional indictments this week against former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort and the guilty plea of former Trump aide Robert Gates, the DoJ said this week that the Department's formal security clearance decision regarding Jared Kushner will be delayed.

Maybe maybe not, we dont know what orders Kelly has been given by Trump.....but the optics are good!

bluesmoke · Feb 24, 2018

Rogue Valley said:
Trump says son-in-law's clearance is up to Kelly

Kelly and Kushner have never gotten along very well. Kelly has been agitated at Kushner's easy access to highly classified information without a proper security clearance and his unfettered access to Trump (the nepotism). The negative vibes are mutual. Lately, Kushner and his wife Ivanka Trump have been stabbing Kelly in the back, privately complaining to Trump of Kelly's handling of the Rob Porter fiasco. After Special Counsel Robert Mueller brought additional indictments this week against former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort and the guilty plea of former Trump aide Robert Gates, the DoJ said this week that the Department's formal security clearance decision regarding Jared Kushner will be delayed.

Trump said:

“I won’t make that call.”
“General Kelly respects Jared a lot and General Kelly will make that call”
“I have no doubt he will make the right decision.”
"Jared's done an outstanding job. I think he's been treated very unfairly,”
“Jared is doing some very important things for our country. He gets paid zero."
"truly outstanding."
"Well, Jared has done an outstanding job, I think he has been treated very unfairly," Trump said. "He works for nothing.”

Kelly said:

“As I told Jared days ago, I have full confidence in his ability to continue performing his duties in his foreign policy portfolio including overseeing our Israeli-Palestinian peace effort and serving as an integral part of our relationship with Mexico. Everyone in the White House is grateful for these valuable contributions to furthering the President’s agenda. There is no truth to any suggestion otherwise,”

Trump is gilding a national security deuce. No influence on Kelly there. With full confidence in Kushner’s ability, his integral part in foreign affairs, and how everyone in the WH is grateful for his valuable contributions, Kelly obviously has yet to make up his mind. Or, Kelly could say no and immediately retire or go back to the military before he's fired.

Rogue Valley · Feb 24, 2018

bluesmoke said:
Trump is gilding a national security deuce. No influence on Kelly there. With full confidence in Kushner’s ability, his integral part in foreign affairs, and how everyone in the WH is grateful for his valuable contributions, Kelly obviously has yet to make up his mind. Or, Kelly could say no and immediately retire or go back to the military before he's fired.

Kelly lost his integrity some time ago. It seems McMaster has had his fill and wants out.`

Removable Mind · Feb 24, 2018

Hawkeye10 said:
Maybe maybe not, we dont know what orders Kelly has been given by Trump.....but the optics are good!

The "optics are good"...?????

The myopics are are far ahead of "optics" in the WH.

Mach · Feb 24, 2018

Removable Mind said:
I don't know how it's possible for Trump to have a high level security clearance.

We said this when he was first elected, but apparently there are no requirements for being president other than the ones you learn in school. You can be 100% bought and paid for by foreigners, blackmailed, the most "vulnerable" person in the world to influence and corruption, and they hand you the keys and tell you that not only do you get the keys, you can in-effect, hand them to anyone you want.
The problem with saying "well the voters have to keep that in check", is that if you're good enough and corrupt enough, you can find enough people that would take power, prestige, and money, in exchange for helping you win and hold power (as is the way of the world), so it can't just be "possibly but hopefully rare". I will trust, but verify...we need that verification part.

It's my sincere hope that post-Trump we will be able to identify and craft laws that ensure much of the worry we have with Trump, would be a non-issue in the future. I wouldn't bet on it, but it does seems obvious that there are huge gaps in our presidential playbook.

Removable Mind · Feb 24, 2018

Mach said:
We said this when he was first elected, but apparently there are no requirements for being president other than the ones you learn in school. You can be 100% bought and paid for by foreigners, blackmailed, the most "vulnerable" person in the world to influence and corruption, and they hand you the keys and tell you that not only do you get the keys, you can in-effect, hand them to anyone you want.
The problem with saying "well the voters have to keep that in check", is that if you're good enough and corrupt enough, you can find enough people that would take power, prestige, and money, in exchange for helping you win and hold power (as is the way of the world), so it can't just be "possibly but hopefully rare". I will trust, but verify...we need that verification part.

It's my sincere hope that post-Trump we will be able to identify and craft laws that ensure much of the worry we have with Trump, would be a non-issue in the future. I wouldn't bet on it, but it does seems obvious that there are huge gaps in our presidential playbook.

Yep, I hear ya...

Supposedly there is a vetting process for presidential candidates. Apparently as long as you weren't born in Kenya and haven't spent actual prison time, go for it. From the way things have been going, it looks like individuals like KKK Grand Wizard (and I would bet whoever that person is - isn't from Kenya - not sure about the prison stuff) could have been elected.

I also think it's time to end "Executive Orders" that are so vulnerable to being dismantled. They create too much public and political dissention, disarray, and division - more than doing any good.

It's time to end Congress' ability to load spending bills with pork and earmarks. They're used to bribe constituents. Single issue legislation should be set in virtual concrete via a Constitutional Amendment. There's no other way to achieve any transparency. They'll all lie till they die. Our elected officials have spent decades creating ways to insulate themselves from being responsible and accountable to their constituents. It's obvious the Royalty of Washington doesn't respect the Constitution, or their oath to protect it.

The list goes on and on...

They say that neutering dogs calm them down, make them more docile and obedient. Maybe a lot of members of government need neutering.

Deuce · Feb 24, 2018

Hawkeye10 said:
Maybe maybe not, we dont know what orders Kelly has been given by Trump.....but the optics are good!

The optics are awful. It has been over a year and Kushner is still serving without a full security clearance. He's privy to code-word level intelligence.

An interim clearance shouldn't last this long, the only explanation is that the final ruling is being intentionally delayed so that a "denied" ruling technically never comes down.

If Obama had done this, the right wing would have lost their minds over someone without a security clearance having access to this much information. Good optics, my ass.

Hawkeye10 · Feb 25, 2018

Removable Mind said:
The "optics are good"...?????

The myopics are are far ahead of "optics" in the WH.

you are ever so helpful

Removable Mind · Feb 25, 2018

Hawkeye10 said:
you are ever so helpful

I’m always glad to help.

bluesmoke · Feb 25, 2018

Rogue Valley said:
Kelly lost his integrity some time ago. It seems McMaster has had his fill and wants out.`

You do raise one point, that to make such a highly visible and weighty decision, Trump picks somebody with, in your opinion, no integrity. Or, what is your point?

Trump says son-in-law's clearance is up to Kelly

Rogue Valley

Lead or get out of the way

Winston

Give me convenience or give me death

Rexedgar

Yo-Semite!

Winston

Give me convenience or give me death

Risky Thicket

Sewer Rat

Mach

Rexedgar

Yo-Semite!

Removable Mind

Irremovable Intelligence

Fearandloathing

How long is now?

Fearandloathing

How long is now?

Removable Mind

Irremovable Intelligence

cuban smokes

Hawkeye10

Buttermilk Man

bluesmoke

Rogue Valley

Lead or get out of the way

Removable Mind

Irremovable Intelligence

Mach

Removable Mind

Irremovable Intelligence

Deuce

Outer space potato man

Hawkeye10

Buttermilk Man

Removable Mind

Irremovable Intelligence

bluesmoke