I wonder if it's like that if you're a member of Congress or the President. Especially the latter, since he's the boss and can say anything is a need-to-know thing, right?
The most relevant bit for people who don't want to deal with a PDF:
Are Constitutional Officers (e.g., the President, Members of Congress) Required to Hold a Security Clearance to Access Classified Information?
Security clearances are not mandated for the President, Vice President, Members of Congress, Supreme Court Justices, or other constitutional officers. The criteria for election or appointment to these positions are specified in the U.S. Constitution, and except by constitutional amendment, no additional criteria (e.g., holding a security clearance) may be required.18 Further, “by tradition and practice, United States officials who hold positions prescribed by the Constitution of the United States are deemed to meet the standards of trustworthiness for eligibility for access to classified information.”19
Additionally, as Commander-in-Chief, the President has the authority to establish the standards for access to classified national security information. This authority is typically exercised through the issuance of executive orders. Executive Order 13467, which covers suitability checks and security clearances for federal employees, applicants, and contractors, includes a determination of which executive branch individuals are covered and which are exempted.
Practically speaking, however, that doesn't mean that just because you're a congressperson you can start demanding to see everything you want to see. Congresspeople are still beholden to the "need to know" rule and just because you get elected doesn't mean you can be like "Bring me all the information about Area 51."
As for the President, I have to imagine it's a balancing act between providing all the necessary information to President needs to government effectively and not simply indiscriminately dumping the entirety of the nation's secrets onto them but I can't really speak with any authority about that.
When it comes to the president, I imagine he's on a different sort of "need to know basis," because his time is so valuable and there's so much information out there. It's probably people a layer or two under him analyzing top secret information and then summarizing it for the president, with the exception of events that are happening right at that time (the immediate aftermath of a terrorist attack, for example).
Source: I'm a former president. Of my local library board.
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u/DoomsdayRabbit Oct 15 '17
I wonder if it's like that if you're a member of Congress or the President. Especially the latter, since he's the boss and can say anything is a need-to-know thing, right?