Exclusive: president-elect’s team planning for background checks to occur only after administration takes over bureau

Summary

Donald Trump’s transition team plans to grant sweeping security clearances to cabinet picks before traditional FBI background checks, delaying vetting until the new administration takes over the bureau and installs its own officials.

This move could bypass FBI scrutiny and delay classified briefings until Trump’s January 20 inauguration.

The approach reflects Trump’s distrust of the FBI, rooted in its role during the Russia investigation, and mirrors past controversies like Jared Kushner’s delayed clearance, which Trump overrode despite FBI and CIA concerns.

Critics warn this could undermine vetting and create potential security risks.

  • oxjox@lemmy.mlEnglish
    341·
    12 hours ago

    As humans living in a country called The United States of America, what The People deserve is a form of government that protects its people from lies and disinformation. In the twenty first century, that requires more regulation than the founders of the country had imagined or provisioned for in The Constitution.

    The idea that a Free Society is one with less government involvement is a lie. Government exists, ideally, to protect and ensure fair opportunity for The People. The government of the US has, since its inception, always existed to ensure opportunity for the wealthy land and business owners who don’t want to pay taxes.

    No person deserves what you’ve claimed. The People have been lied to. They’ve been manipulated and spoken down to. Propaganda and brain washing is not the fault of The People. “Stupidity” (your words) is no excuse for a representative government to take advantage of The People.

    Do Not Blame The People.

    Blame the founders, blame the courts, blame the corporations, blame Congress, blame Wall Street, blame Reagan, blame Trump, blame Biden. If anyone deserves illness, it’s this group.

    What The People of America deserve is a government that represents and works for them. One that ensures equal rights and equity for all. One that earns the trust of The People so when they tell you something good or bad is happening, you believe them. Humans deserve a life free of undeserved obstacles and one free of blatant, verifiably false lies benefiting corporations and political leaders. And, we deserve a free and robust Press.

    • anon6789@lemmy.world
      12·
      10 hours ago

      I second this. I don’t want my government to hurt anyone, even people who are ignorant or hateful.

      I certainly didn’t vote for what’s coming, and millions of others didn’t either. Countries that rely on us didn’t vote for it. Our environment didn’t vote for it. And I’m sure most of the people that were duped into voting for it didn’t really want what we’re going to get either. Some dirtbags probably did, but I think they’re still a minority, and I’d still rather those people have a chance to become good people than for them to suffer. I’d still want them to have access to free education and universal healthcare and a full social safety net if I had the power to give it to them.

      We won’t be able to walk back a lot of what might happen. We could lose millions of acres of public land to private interest. Untold destruction could destroy our remaining ecosystems irreparably. We’ve got anti-vaxxers that could kill thousands to millions. We’ve got people that want to let Palestinians, Ukrainians, and Kurds die. That stuff can’t be undone, and those people and our planet don’t deserve it because some con artists did a great job on propaganda this last half century.