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.

  • @Gradually_AdjustingEnglish
    159•1 month ago

    It’s 2024, Democrats are fiscally responsible and tough on Russia while Republicans are subversive deviants with criminal tendencies and Russian leanings

    I feel like I was born in a virtual universe contrived by the telling of a weird joke that will cease to exist as soon as the punchline arrives.

    • @givesomefucksEnglish
      59•1 month ago

      Nah. The rich just realized they can buy off the only two options.

      That’s why since Bill Clinton both parties have moved to the right, deregulated political donations, and suddenly they need over a billion dollars each election, even though no one you’ve ever met has been influenced by a political ad.

      They don’t need that much money, they just say they do to rationalize why they keep moving right.

      If we ran a candidate that agreed with Dem voters, we’d never need to spend close to a billion to beat trump.

      And to clarify neither party is “fiscally responsible” now a days, if they were they’d plan long term and invest in things like education. But both parties prefer dumb voters who blindly vote straight ticket.

      • @AA5B
        20•1 month ago

        Yet one of the parties is trying to invest in long term things like education, climate, infrastructure, trying to bring manufacturing back to the US, strengthen unions……

        If my government is going to be irresponsible with money, I’d much rather it be for long term investments than lining the pockets of the wealthy or connected

        • @[email protected]
          8•1 month ago

          Well at least they say they’re “trying” on paper. Unfortunately, they’re either lying or incompetent because they sure as hell aren’t succeeding at any of this and keep letting Republicans win elections by being so ineffective.

          It’s not too different than your boss telling you that they’re “really trying to get you a raise” year after year as you fall deeper and deeper into the hole meanwhile you see him buying his 14th house.

          • @givesomefucksEnglish
            0•1 month ago

            Sssshhhhh…

            How have you forgotten?

            We give neoliberals credit when they say they’ll fix something, not when they actually do it.

            If we only gave them credit for things they’ve done, people are going to ask why we’ve devoted 30 years of the Dem party to Jimmy Carvil’s best cryptkeeper impression?