Whistleblower reveals concerns over White House security clearances

A Trump official has come forward with major concerns about the security at the White House, as reported by the US House of Representatives Oversight and Reform Committee.

Tricia Newbold told Congress that some 25 White House officials including the top advisors of US President Donald Trump were given security clearances in spite of being recommended otherwise.

Elijah E Cummings, chairman of House Oversight Committee wrote in a letter on Monday that White House security official Newbold informed the panel about 'grave breaches of national security at the highest levels of the Trump administration' in detail. The whistleblower's report states that the White House's inability and failure to attract top-level talent.

None of the 25 were named, but in Cummings' letter addressed to White House counsel Pat Cipollone, he requested information relating to clearances for National Security Advisor John Bolton, former national security advisor Michael Flynn, Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka Trump, son-in-law Jared Kushner and other top security officials.

Newbold also added that White House Director of Personnel Security, Carl Kline had called her in his office and persuaded her to change the recommendation but she refused to do so.

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Cummings said that he is also planning to subpoena Kline, to testify to the Committee regarding the clearances, along with other officials.

"I would not be doing a service to myself, my country, or my children if I sat back knowing that the issues that we have could impact national security," Newbold told the committee, according to Cummings' letter.

Earlier this year, Newbold's dispute with Kline over the clearance issues became public when she was suspended from her job and reportedly filed a formal whistleblower complaint. 

The problem began around mid-2017 when Jared Kushner, one of Trump's closest advisors and his son-in-law, was granted a top-secret clearance. Ever since then, there has been a cloud of suspicion over Kushner's access to top-level security materials.

However, Representative Jim Jordan from Ohio, ranking member of the committee released a statement in response, wherein he said, "Chairman Cummings’ investigation is not about restoring integrity to the security clearance process, it is an excuse to go fishing through the personal files of dedicated public servants. The process by which this matter has so far progress has been anything but fair.” 

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(With PTI inputs)