President Trump is once again cleaning house—this time sending a clear message to the Obama-era intelligence elite.
James Clapper, former Director of National Intelligence under Barack Obama and one of the loudest critics of President Donald Trump, was denied entry to a CIA event honoring a dog trained in memory of his late wife.
The event, held in May at a CIA training facility in Herndon, Virginia, was meant to celebrate the graduation of “Susan,” a yellow Labrador detection dog trained to sniff out deadly explosives. The dog’s training was funded by Clapper through a nonprofit organization and named after his wife, a former NSA employee and devoted animal lover who passed away in 2023.
But when the guest list was finalized, Clapper’s name was suddenly removed.
According to The Atlantic, the CIA ordered Clapper’s removal after President Trump signed a sweeping executive order stripping the security clearances of dozens of former intelligence officials—with Clapper’s name at the very top.
The move is part of Trump’s ongoing effort to drain the swamp and hold Obama-era figures accountable for what he has repeatedly called the “Russia hoax”—a politically motivated attack aimed at undermining his presidency.
“They choked like dogs,” Trump once said, referring to Clapper and former CIA Director John Brennan’s behavior during Senate hearings on the Russia investigation.
The CIA, interpreting Trump’s executive order to the letter, determined that Clapper was no longer authorized to step foot on agency property, even for a K9 graduation. The nonprofit that trained the dog was reportedly told to notify Clapper of the decision.
While Clapper has not publicly commented, the silence speaks volumes. This is a man who helped push the now-debunked Russia narrative, sat at the top of the intel community under Obama, and has spent years attacking President Trump on cable news. Now he’s finding out that there are consequences for politicizing national security.
Meanwhile, “Susan” will move forward in service—trained to detect car bombs and hidden explosives—thanks in part to a woman who dedicated her life to both national service and animals.
The CIA and White House have declined to comment on the matter, but the message couldn’t be clearer: under President Trump, national security isn’t a game—and the deep state is no longer untouchable.