Jared Kushner's security clearance went through the normal process
| Jared Kushner's security clearance went through the normal process | |
|---|---|
| DISPUTED | |
| "Jared Kushner received his top-secret security clearance through the normal vetting process, with no outside pressure." | |
| Domain | Government, Law & Courts |
| Tactic | False Context Propaganda Technique |
| Era | Current |
| First seen | 2019 |
| Origin | Statements by Kushner's lawyer and Donald Trump after a February 2019 New York Times report and an April 2019 whistleblower account |
| Last reviewed | 2026-11-03 |
| Further reading: books on Government, Law & Courts | |
The claim that Kushner's clearance went through the normal process is disputed. Reporting says the President ordered it. His side says it followed ordinary procedure.
What the evidence shows
- The reporting. The New York Times reported in February 2019 that Donald Trump personally ordered that Kushner be given a clearance over the objections of then chief of staff John Kelly and the White House counsel. Kelly reportedly wrote a memo recording the direction.
- The denial. Donald Trump denied that he instructed anyone to grant it. Kushner's attorney said his application was handled in the regular process.
- The whistleblower. White House security specialist Tricia Newbold told House Oversight investigators in 2019 that her denials were overturned in at least 25 cases, and reporting said Kushner and Ivanka Trump were among them. She later said Kushner was not the focus of her complaint, while the Washington Post reported he was 'Senior White House Official 1.'
- What is not public. Clearance files are confidential, so the full file has not been published.
Why it persists
The President has legal authority over clearances, so a presidential order would not be illegal. The dispute is over whether the ordinary process was bypassed and what the experts had recommended.
Lessons for readers
- Separate legality from process norms.
- Anonymous sourcing and confidential files limit what can be proven.
- Compare each side's statements to the documents that exist.
See also
Sources
- New York Times, reporting on Trump's order concerning Kushner's clearance, February 2019.
- Axios, CBS News and Washington Times reports on Tricia Newbold's testimony, February to April 2019.
- The Week and Middle East Eye on the Washington Post's identification of 'Senior White House Official 1,' 2019.