Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, wants President Trump to order a review of White House security clearance procedures.
The senator from Virginia wrote to Trump Thursday and urged him to green-light a review, sighting reports of flawed procedures that have permitted those without full clearances to have access to classified materials.
“We believe a new review is necessary to address the allegations that have been raised and, if necessary, implement corrective action,” Warner said.
“Without such a review, it will be incumbent upon Congress to take a more direct role in overseeing and legislating on EOP security clearances to protect national security.”
Warner signed the letter along with Sens. Dianne Feinstein of California, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Bob Menendez of New Jersey, the lead Democrat on Senate Foreign Relations, and Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the top Democrat on Senate Armed Services.
Democrats made a similar demand in March but it was rejected by intelligence community officials, including Director of Intelligence Dan Coats, who said they lacked the authority for such a review unless ordered by the president.
Warner pointed to media reports that Trump “ignored objections from then-White House Counsel Donald McGahn and then-Chief of Staff John F. Kelly to grant security clearances to his daughter, Ivanka Trump, and her husband Jared Kushner.”
