View Full Version : Will Trump's children get top security clearance?
I've heard that Trump wants his children to have top security clearance. Is this reasonable or crazy?
What does "top security clearance" mean?
What levels of clearance are there? What do the various levels give you access to? Who determines this?
What is "clearance" in the first place?
It's kind of crazy given I thought they were also supposed to manage Trump's "blind trust". I see a conflict of interest - and I expect a top security clearance would make insider trading (or whatever you would call having pre-knowledge of government workings) very tempting.
ToomuchStuff
11-16-16, 2:20am
If they were managing it, it wouldn't be a blind trust.
However there are many levels of security clearance. I expect in this case, it is more about access (being able to walk into a room, as his daughter did when she was a kid, etc). I also expect they get some kind of normal background check, as a support structure for the president, as normal families talk.
JaneV2.0
11-16-16, 12:00pm
Definitely. With their hunting experience, Uday and Qusay can confidently shoot any lions or tigers that threaten the President. Best security ever.
Cathy, this whole thing left reasonable/crazy territory when he mocked the disabled reporter and admitted to groping women, and still got elected.
I think the reasonable/crazy train has left us.
Miss Cellane
11-16-16, 12:43pm
My feeling is that a president, or anyone else in public office, needs to work very hard at avoiding even the appearance of impropriety. If they want the public to have full trust in them and their decisions.
Clearly, Trump does not feel the same way. His kids will be running his blind trust. It's hard to imagine there won't be some degree of communication both ways.
He wants his kids to have security clearance. I'd like to know exactly why. Why would a president's offspring need this? Answer: They don't. But clearly Trump wants them to, perhaps because he plans on using them as advisors.
In any case, it all has more than a little appearance of impropriety to me. And therefore potential lawsuits in the making. Trump has been involved in over 4,000 lawsuits. He clearly doesn't care about them.
freshstart
11-16-16, 12:59pm
I have read conflicting info on this, some saying he never asked for the clearance, some saying he asked and was denied, some saying his kids don't want it anyway so I don't know who to believe. But if he asked for it, he's really something, to be polite
What does "top security clearance" mean?
What levels of clearance are there? What do the various levels give you access to? Who determines this?
What is "clearance" in the first place?
Bump...
1651
Miss Cellane
11-16-16, 2:20pm
I have read conflicting info on this, some saying he never asked for the clearance, some saying he asked and was denied, some saying his kids don't want it anyway so I don't know who to believe. But if he asked for it, he's really something, to be polite
What I've read is that once he is president, he doesn't have to ask, he can just give them the clearance. But usually there's a background check, so I think they would still have to pass that.
Reading between the lines of Trump's latest denial about the clearances, I think he's inquired about getting the clearances, but hasn't officially requested them. And all the denials are specifically mentioning "top level" clearances, which still leaves lower-level clearances to be considered.
The denials are very specific--not "top level," "nothing's been filed." Which means to me that someone is considering at least some of the children for some level of security clearance, but hasn't applied for it yet. There has not been a flat out denial that the clearances are not going to be applied for at some time.
Cathy, this whole thing left reasonable/crazy territory when he mocked the disabled reporter and admitted to groping women, and still got elected.
I think the reasonable/crazy train has left us.
And It just keeps getting worse and worse.
And It just keeps getting worse and worse.
I hear he went to dinner with his family last night, and didn't let the press pool sit at the table!
What a Nazi!
How do they handle a presidential spouse's security clearance? You know Presidents talk to and are advised by their spouses.
Teacher Terry
11-16-16, 3:27pm
This is so ridiculous! Normal presidents use their advisors and not their kids.
This is so ridiculous! Normal presidents use their advisors and not their kids.
What is the alleged "security clearance" for, in this particular case?
Anyone know what a "security clearance" is? Or who issues it? Or what it entitles you to?
Teacher Terry
11-16-16, 3:42pm
My first husband had one and so does my stepson both were or are in the military. They did background checks to include interviewing neighbors, grade school teachers, etc. Not everyone is entitled to one.
frugal-one
11-16-16, 4:18pm
What is the alleged "security clearance" for, in this particular case?
Anyone know what a "security clearance" is? Or who issues it? Or what it entitles you to?
I had security clearance when I worked for the government. They made sure I did not have any ties or affiliations that would hamper my job. Think that will be tough to do with Trump. Supposedly, he has 500 companies in 22 countries (or some such number). Think he will have a hard time being diplomatic if his decision hampers his businesses.
iris lilies
11-16-16, 4:26pm
I had security clearance when I worked for the government. They made sure I did not have any ties or affiliations that would hamper my job. Think that will be tough to do with Trump. Supposedly, he has 500 companies in 22 countries (or some such number). Think he will have a hard time being diplomatic if his decision hampers his businesses.
I've been a little concerned about Trump's businesses and the expectation that he not have interests that would be conflicting with his new job. We are in a pretty pickle if we have set ourselves up to always be goverend by lawyers who have no busness interests.
I don't mean that it is wrong to be concerned about comflict of i terest, I just dont know how to avoid a lot of seeming conflicts.
My brother in law had a high security clearance at the Pentagon and before taking the job he had to get rid of stock.....he didn't own a company but had to get rid of stock..yet we had Chaney with Haliburton at the same time, so who knows what a security clearance does to protect from conflict of interest.
Ivanka Trump sat in on her father's first meeting with a foreign head of state today, when Donald Trump met with Japan's Shinzo Abe. Why would her presence be desired?
ToomuchStuff
11-18-16, 11:34am
Ivanka Trump sat in on her father's first meeting with a foreign head of state today, when Donald Trump met with Japan's Shinzo Abe. Why would her presence be desired?
Has the entire cabinet and all appointee's been done? Do we know he isn't planning on appointing her for some position, that maybe a woman has been doing?
Ivanka Trump sat in on her father's first meeting with a foreign head of state today, when Donald Trump met with Japan's Shinzo Abe. Why would her presence be desired?
Because he thinks everyone thinks the way he does, so who wouldn't want to have Ivanka's presence near them? After all, surely Abe must want to date her as much as Trump does.
iris lilies
11-18-16, 12:50pm
Some months ago I told my Trump votng friend that if Trump does things like making Ivanka Secretary of State, I would be royally pissed.
On my way to Pissed Off land this morning, I mentioned this to my Trump voting DH who pretty much said calm down, if it happened as you say, this is a social event. The Japanese guy is stopping by for a short meet and greet. And I have to agree.
I actually would welcome Ivanka playing some of the hostess roles that First Ladies normally take on. It would be a nice chamge from the same ol same ol. First Daughter. I like that.
She seems pretty sane to me, unlike many of the people he chooses to hang around with and appoint to things.
Because he thinks everyone thinks the way he does, so who wouldn't want to have Ivanka's presence near them? After all, surely Abe must want to date her as much as Trump does.
Sometimes I think he is involving all his children because they keep him from doing REALLY even stupider things. I bet they try to intercept his ideas before they go public. Then again, who the hell knows why.
Now that I got my snark out, the more rational part of me assumes that involving her in diplomatic meetings in a wholly inappropriate way is simply to make sure that she can get the family maximum grift. The idea that Trump's blind trust of his business dealings will involve his children still running things is laughable. but somehow people were worried about the ethics of the Clinton Foundation? Give me a break.
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