Government officials have expressed concern over the safety of national security secrets as the White House prepares for a new administration.
Current and former officials, as well as political experts, have labeled Trump a "classic counterintelligence risk" due to his habit of attacking federal agencies that oppose him. Most recently, the president has undermined the nation's voting process by falsely claiming that he's been cheated out of a second presidential term.
The fear is that Trump will continue his combativeness by revealing classified information during his last weeks in office or even after his presidency.
"Anyone who is disgruntled, dissatisfied or aggrieved is a risk of disclosing classified information, whether as a current or former officeholder," said former CIA officer, David Priess. "Trump certainly fits that profile."
Officials also highlighted Trump's financial debt as a reason for trading classified information.
"People with significant debt are always of grave concern to security professionals," said Larry Pfeiffer, former chief of staff to CIA Director Michael V. Hayden. "The human condition is a frail one. And people in dire situations make dire decisions. Many of the individuals who've committed espionage against our country are people who are financially vulnerable."
Aside from declassifying information, Trump could also destroy documents in an attempt to sabotage Biden's presidency or to prevent negative information coming out about his own administration. Even though the Presidential Records Act requires the president to keep all documents related to their duties, it's loosely enforced.
Comments