President-elect Donald Trump is potentially seeking top secret security clearances for his children, sources tell CBS News.

60 Minutes interview: President-elect Donald Trump

The Trump team has asked the White House to explore the possibility of getting his children the top secret security clearances. Logistically, the children would need to be designated by the current White House as national security advisers to their father to receive top secret clearances. However, once Mr. Trump becomes president, he would be able to put in the request himself.

His children would need to fill out the security questionnaire (SF-86) and go through the requisite background checks.

While nepotism rules prevent the president-elect from hiring his kids to work in the White House, they do not need to be government officials to receive top secret security clearances.

The issue raises another layer of questions about the unique role his children are playing and conflicts of interest with their running his network of businesses.

Mr. Trump’s children Ivanka, Eric and Donald Jr., as well as son-in-law Jared Kushner, were named to the president-elect’s transition team late last week. Though they were an integral part of his campaign team, Mr. Trump’s children have all stated that they will not hold formal roles in the government.

“No,” Ivanka told CBS News’ Lesley Stahl when asked during a “60 Minutes” interview if she would join the administration. “I’m going to be a daughter. But I’ve-- I’ve said throughout the campaign that I am very passionate about certain issues. And that I want to fight for them.” </s> Republican President-elect Donald Trump's team has asked the White House to explore the possibility of getting his children top-secret security clearances, CBS News said on Monday, citing unnamed sources.

Daughter Ivanka, sons Eric and Donald Jr. and son-in-law Jared Kushner were close advisers to Trump's campaign and are part of his transition team announced on Friday. The CBS report did not specify for which Trump children top-secret clearance was being sought. </s> (L-R) Eric Trump, Donald Trump Jr., and Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump attend the ground breaking of the Trump International Hotel at the Old Post Office Building in Washington July 23, 2014. REUTERS/Gary Cameron

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican President-elect Donald Trump’s team has asked the White House to explore the possibility of getting his children top-secret security clearances, CBS News said on Monday, citing unnamed sources.

Daughter Ivanka, sons Eric and Donald Jr. and son-in-law Jared Kushner were close advisers to Trump’s campaign and are part of his transition team announced on Friday. The CBS report did not specify for which Trump children top-secret clearance was being sought. </s> According to a pool news report, the official said the President-elect did not request that this step be taken, and the Trump children have not started filling out paperwork for such clearances.

"That's not something I'm expecting right now," the transition official told the press pool.

It is unusual for a president's children to be so clued in to White House policy. But the three kids have long been essential advisers to their father's presidential bid, and were named last week to the presidential transition committee -- which raises conflict-of-interest questions given that they will also manage Trump's massive business enterprise.

And Kushner, who has been one of Trump's most trusted confidants is expected to be heavily involved in Trump's White House, perhaps in a formal capacity. If given merely "secret" clearance, the four might have access to secure communications technology or perhaps to travel schedules and Secret Service procedures. It would likely not mean the Trump children start getting operational or analytical intelligence reports in their inbox -- unless they have a job that requires it. More likely, it would mean if there is a document they need to see for what they are doing, then they will have the functional clearance to look at it. </s> In an unprecedented use of authority, president Donald Trump revoked former CIA director John Brennan’s security clearance. Brennan has been one of Trump’s most prominent critics.

“I have a unique constitutional responsibility to protect the nation’s classified information, including by controlling access to it. Today, in fulfilling that responsibility, I have decided to revoke the security clearance of John Brennan, former director of the Central Intelligence Agency,” Trump said in a statement pronounced in the White House briefing room by his press secretary Sarah Sanders. “Mr. Brennan’s lying and recent conduct characterized by increasingly frenzied commentary is wholly inconsistent with access to the nation’s most closely held secrets.”

Brennan is the first Trump target since the White House announced last month that the president was considering taking action against his most vocal critics in terms of national security.

Brennan responded via Twitter, by saying: “This action is part of a broader effort by Mr. Trump to suppress freedom of speech & punish critics. It should gravely worry all Americans, including intelligence professionals, about the cost of speaking out. My principales are worth far more than clearances. I will not relent,” the security expert tweeted.

Brennan is well-regarded and respected by both Democrats and Republicans. He served as homeland security advisor and later CIA director under President Barack Obama. </s> (FILES) In this file photo taken on May 23, 2017, former CIA Director John Brennan testifies during a House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence hearing about Russian actions during the 2016 election on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. - US President Donald Trump on Wednesday, August 15, 2018 revoked security clearance for former CIA Director John Brennan. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP)SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images ORG XMIT: Trump rev ORIG FILE ID: AFP_18E1DM

WASHINGTON – Striking at one of his fiercest critics over Russia, President Trump said Wednesday he has revoked the security clearance of former CIA director John Brennan, and continues to review the clearances of other Barack Obama administration officials.

Brennan has used his status "to make a series of unfounded and outrageous allegations" and "wild outbursts on the Internet and television about this administration," Trump said in a statement read by White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders.

As critics accused Trump of seeking to silence opponents, the president added names to his list of other Obama-era officials whose security clearances are under review: FBI and Justice Department officials involved in the investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

Brennan, like many of his supporters, called the decision part of a broader effort by Trump to "suppress freedom of speech" and "punish critics."

"It should gravely worry all Americans, including intelligence professionals, about the cost of speaking out," Brennan tweeted. "My principles are worth far more than clearances. I will not relent."

Some of Brennan's supporters called it nothing less than the compilation of a Trump blacklist.

"This has zero to do with national security," tweeted Michael Bromwich, an attorney for former deputy FBI director Andrew McCabe, whose security clearance is one of those under review. "This is an Official Enemies List. The offense: exercising 1st Amendment rights."

More: President Trump considers revoking security clearances for former U.S. officials

More: Security clearances: Yes, President Trump can yank them, and other things to know

Clapper, in an interview on CNN, said he would continue to speak out even if he loses his security clearance.

If the rule is "the only way I can speak is to be in an adulation mode of this president, I'm sorry, I don't think I could sign up for that," Clapper told CNN.

House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., called it "a stunning abuse of power" and an attempt to distract from Trump's many scandals. U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said Trump again demonstrated "how deeply insecure and vindictive he is – two character flaws dangerous in any President."

The Brennan decision came quickly, less than a month after Trump announced the review on July 23.

Maybe less: The written version of Trump's order was dated July 26.

Brennan has been among Trump's most acerbic critics.

After Trump's July 16 news conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin – one in which Trump appeared to accept Putin's denials of election interference over the conclusions of the U.S. intelligence community – Brennan described the U.S. president's performance as "nothing short of treasonous."

In an appearance Tuesday on MSNBC, Brennan called Trump "dangerous to our nation."

Trump announced last month he was reviewing the security clearances of a number of ex-Obama officials, including Brennan as well as former FBI director director James Comey, Clapper, former CIA director Michael Hayden, former national security adviser Susan Rice and McCabe.

In making his announcement about Brennan, Trump added two new names to the list, former FBI officials Peter Strzok and Lisa Page.

Strzok is the FBI official fired last week in part because of anti-Trump text messages he sent to Page.

Also on the list: Current Justice Department official Bruce Ohr. Supporters of Trump said Ohr was in contact with retired British spy Christopher Steele, who compiled a dossier alleging a relationship between Trump and Russians involved in election interference.

Russian efforts to favor Trump by hacking the emails of Democratic officials and pushing fake news about presidential nominee Hillary Clinton are currently under investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller.

Trump has denounced the Mueller investigation as a "hoax" concocted by Democrats upset at their election loss.

Security clearances for ex-government employees are not that unusual, and those who have them do not always exercise them.

Former leaders of U.S. intelligence and law enforcement agencies have been allowed to maintain access to classified information, both as a professional courtesy and so that they can consult with successors on certain national security issues.

"Neither of these justifications supports Mr. Brennan's continued access to classified information," Sanders said in reading Trump's statement.

Any benefit of consultations with Brennan is "outweighed by the risks posed by his erratic conduct and behavior," the Trump statement said, and that behavior "has tested and far exceeded the limits of any professional courtesy that may have been due to him."

More: Ex-CIA chief John Brennan to Trump: 'America will triumph over you' </s> WASHINGTON – President Trump has revoked the security clearance of former CIA Director John Brennan, a Barack Obama appointee who has criticized Trump over the Russia investigation.

Trump also said he continues to review the security clearances of other Obama-era officials, a list to which he has added the names of former FBI officials who were involved in the investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

In a written statement read by press secretary Sarah Sanders on Wednesday, Trump said Brennan has engaged in "erratic" behavior and lodged unfair allegations; Brennan and his supporters said Trump's security review was politically motivated and designed to target his freedom of speech.

"Any benefits that senior officials might glean from consultations with Mr. Brennan are now outweighed by the risk posed by his erratic conduct and behavior," Sanders said.

Critics of the president called the security review nothing less than the compilation of a Trump blacklist.

"This has zero to do with national security," tweeted Michael Bromwich, an attorney for former Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe, whose security clearance is one of those under review. "This is an Official Enemies List. The offense: exercising 1st Amendment rights."

More: President Trump considers revoking security clearances for former U.S. officials

Trump announced last month he was reviewing the security clearances of a number of ex-Obama officials, including former FBI director director James Comey, former national intelligence director James Clapper, former CIA director Michael Hayden, former national security adviser Susan Rice and former deputy FBI director Andrew McCabe.

In making his announcement about Brennan, Trump added two new names to the list, former FBI officials Peter Strzok and Lisa Page.

Strzok is the FBI official fired last week in part because of anti-Trump text messages he sent to Page. </s> White House: Trump is revoking security clearance of former Obama administration CIA director John Brennan

WASHINGTON (AP) — White House: Trump is revoking security clearance of former Obama administration CIA director John Brennan. </s> WASHINGTON – The Latest on President-elect Donald Trump (all times EST):

President-elect Donald Trump has thanked Czech President Milos Zeman for his support, and the two have exchanged invitations to visit.

Zeman's office says Trump appreciated the fact that Zeman "was the only European president" to endorse him during the campaign against Democrat Hillary Clinton.

During the Tuesday phone call, Trump invited Zeman to visit him in the White House in April. Zeman's office says the Czech president returned the invitation by suggesting the president-elect visit Prague — and that invitation was accepted.

Their views of the fight against Islamic terrorism and political and economic cooperation between the U.S. and the Czech Republic were also discussed.

Zeman endorsed Trump with several other European leaders, such as Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

Trump's former wife, Ivana is of Czech origin.

Donald Trump wants the government's contract for a new Air Force One canceled.

The president-elect tweeted that the contract with Boeing for a new presidential plane is costing $4 billion.

He later told reporters at Trump Tower that the manufacturer is "doing a little bit of a number" and the cost is "ridiculous."

Trump added that, "We want Boeing to make a lot of money, but not that much money."

The government has contracted with Boeing to build two or more new planes that would go into service around 2024.

Vice President-elect Mike Pence says the conspiracy-minded son of a key adviser to Donald Trump has no role in the president-elect's transition. Pence told MSNBC Tuesday that the son of retired Gen. Mike Flynn "has no involvement in the transition whatsoever."

The statement comes after Mike Flynn Jr. sent numerous posts on Twitter about the conspiracy theories of Pizzagate, a fake news story suggesting a Washington, D.C., pizza shop, Comet Ping Pong, plays a key role in a child sex trafficking ring run by Hillary Clinton. Police say the conspiracy theory led to violence Sunday when a North Carolina man fired a rifle in the restaurant as he sought to investigate the accusations. No one was injured, and the man was arrested.

Flynn Jr., who has accompanied his father to presidential transition meetings inside Trump Tower and lists the presidential transition website as part of his Twitter bio, tweeted Sunday night that, "Until #Pizzagate proven to be false, it'll remain a story."

Donald Trump's choice for defense secretary will be with him at a Tuesday night rally in North Carolina.

That's according to Vice President-elect Mike Pence. The Indiana governor told MSNBC Tuesday that Trump intends to officially announce the nomination of James Mattis to the helm of the Pentagon. The retired general will escort Trump to the rally in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

The rally is part of Trump's tour of battleground states where voters helped him defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton. He'll be in Des Moines, Iowa on Thursday and Grand Rapids, Michigan on Friday.

NATO's chief says the alliance and the European Union are moving forward on deepening cooperation, as U.S. President-elect Donald Trump insists European allies start pulling their own military weight.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters before chairing talks between NATO foreign ministers Tuesday that "we have a momentum now."

He said NATO and the EU would endorse 40 proposals for boosting cooperation on cyber security and hybrid threats, operations at sea and helping neighboring countries better defend themselves.

Stoltenberg said "questions have been asked with respect to the strength of the trans-Atlantic bond" and that the best way to respond is to boost NATO-EU cooperation.

Trump lambasted Europeans during the U.S. campaign for not paying their fair share of defense budgets and wants NATO to do more against terrorism.

President-elect Donald Trump is taking his show back on the road.

Trump is slated to hold the second stop of this "thank you" tour Tuesday in North Carolina, less than a week after his bombastic return to rallies at an Ohio appearance that felt more like a raucous campaign stop than a traditional speech by a president-to-be.

At that Cincinnati stop, Trump disparaged the media as "dishonest," inspired loud "Build the wall" chants and stunned his own aides with his surprise announcement from the stage that that he was appointing retired Gen. James Mattis as secretary of defense.

The Tuesday appearance in Fayetteville will be followed by rallies in Iowa and Michigan later this week as Trump barnstorms the country to salute his supporters.
President-elect Donald Trump is seeking top secret security clearances for his children, according to CBS News.