Many people are expressing shock about President Donald Trump announcing last week that he was revoking former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director John Brennan’s security clearance. Trump’s action even violates Brennan’s First Amendment right to free speech, some people claim. Nonsense, responds Patrick Buchanan this week in an insightful editorial. Nobody has a right to a security clearance, argues Buchanan. Indeed, Buchanan proposes that the best course is to revoke routinely many Americans’ security clearances.

Buchanan writes:

With 4 million Americans holding top-secret clearances, and [Washington, DC] awash in leaks to the media from present and past intel and security officials, it is time to strip the swamp creatures of their special privileges.

The White House should press upon Congress a policy of automatic cancellation of security clearances, for intelligence and military officers, upon resignation, retirement or severance.

Clearances should be retained only for departing officers who can demonstrate that their “need to know” national secrets remains crucial to our security, not merely advantageous to their pursuit of lucrative jobs in the military-industrial complex.

Read Buchanan’s complete editorial here.

Reprinted with permission from the Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity.