As a private citizen for the past 10 years, I have occasionally spoken out against Donald Trump’s attacks on our intelligence agencies and the men and women who sacrifice every day serving the U.S.
Trump administration revokes security clearances for 37 officials
The Trump administration is revoking security clearances of 37 intelligence officials, escalating its effort against the national security community.
unbranded – Newsworthy
- Former intelligence official Joel Willett had his security clearance revoked by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.
- Willett claims Gabbard’s actions are a political attack and harmful to national security.
- Willett served in the Kentucky National Guard, CIA and White House Situation Room under President Obama.
Last week, the Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, revoked the security clearances of 37 former intelligence community and national security officials. My name was among them.
Ms. Gabbard unironically decries “politicization of intelligence” — where analysts allow political bias to affect their work — when these revocations are one of the most nakedly political acts in the history of the ill-conceived role in which she serves.
Let me explain how I believe I ended up on Ms. Gabbard’s list.
I worked in the White House Situation Room, living my American dream
I joined the Kentucky Army National Guard when I was 17 years old, a few months after the attacks of September 11. I can’t imagine how hard it must have been for my mom to finally relent to my stubborn requests and sign the paperwork allowing me to enlist.
After the military, I continued on in public service, first with the FBI and, then, five years with the CIA. During my final year in government, I worked in the White House Situation Room, providing non-partisan, apolitical intelligence support to President Obama. It was the honor of a lifetime. It was my American dream.
Nothing about my journey from Valley Station to the White House was inevitable. Though they worked hard to care for me and my sister, both of my parents struggled with addictions to opioids and methamphetamines from an early stage in my life. Money struggles meant the lights didn’t always come on when I got home from school. Our family wasn’t unique, and many around us had it much worse. But I was one of the lucky ones who made it out. We should all be proud, not of me, but of our country in enabling stories like mine.I left government service in 2015 to be able to better care for my family in Kentucky, who had continued to struggle while I was away. I’ve since served as president or CEO of multiple businesses in both the commercial and government contracting sectors.
I have spoken against Trump’s attacks on intelligence agencies
As a private citizen for the past 10 years, I have occasionally spoken out against Donald Trump’s attacks on our intelligence agencies and the men and women who sacrifice every day in their service to the American people. I believe my writings in the Washington Post and in these pages contributed to Ms. Gabbard’s decision, because her loyalty is to one man, and not the American people.
But that’s not the entire story.
It has been increasingly hard for me to sit on the sidelines while a corrupt political system steamrolls the people I grew up with. It’s a system that profits from addiction but does nothing to treat it. A system that enables Donald Trump to increase his personal wealth by billions since being elected, while working families in Kentucky see their costs continue to rise and their paychecks remain flat. A system that takes money from 35 rural hospitals in Kentucky to pay for an unconscionable $4 trillion tax cut , $1 trillion of which goes to the wealthiest 1%.In response, I began exploring a run for the U.S. Senate. My interest was reported in the Lexington Herald-Leader on August 6th. My security clearance was revoked via social media exactly two weeks later. You can do the math.
Gabbard’s weaponization of our government should give everyone pause
Ms. Gabbard’s shameless weaponization of the government against Donald Trump’s perceived political enemies, whether in response to my exercise of constitutionally protected speech or my consideration of running for office, should give everyone pause.
This weaponization stifles much needed national security debate and will deprive the government of valuable expertise. Her actions are poised to make Americans less safe and America less free; I suspect they already have.
Joel Willett is a repeat CEO and strategy executive who previously served in the Kentucky National Guard, CIA and White House Situation Room. All statements of fact, opinion or analysis expressed are those of the author and do not reflect the official positions or views of the U.S. government. Nothing in the contents should be construed as asserting or implying U.S. government authentication of information or endorsement of the author’s views.
This story was updated to add a gallery.
