It’s not even worth spending much time analyzing whether canceling the security clearances of former senior intelligence officers will hurt the security of the United States. But I can say that the president’s attack on the First Amendment rights of retired intelligence officers does have a chilling effect. Will former intelligence officers who speak against the president and his policies see their health benefits and annuities canceled? The goal of intelligence officers is to avoid the media and any public attention, to operate in the shadows. But as a former intelligence officer, I know these are not the prime reasons my former colleagues are speaking out against Trump.

Source: Washington Post August 21, 2018 16:30 UTC