Election denier and long-time Trump ally loses security clearance after failed polygraph, sources say

Kurt Olsen, a Justice Department attorney who served as a prominent advocate during the Trump administration for unfounded claims that the 2020 election was stolen, had his DOJ security clearance revoked last month after failing a polygraph examination, according to two sources familiar with the situation.The unsuccessful lie-detector test was a factor in the decision to strip his Justice Department credentials, the two sources stated, though it remains unclear whether other considerations played a part. The failed polygraph and its role in the security termination were first reported by Reuters.In a statement to Reuters, Olsen maintained that he retains an active security clearance through an unnamed agency, asserting that "any suggestion of a revoked clearance is false." Olsen added that he previously held credentials during his service as a Navy SEAL in the mid-to-late 1980s.Olsen withdrew last week from a criminal inquiry examining several prominent critics of President Donald Trump. He moved to the DOJ following a tenure at the White House, where he collaborated with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence on an initiative to reexamine Trump's rejected claims that the 2020 election was rigged against him.Reuters was unable to independently verify whether Olsen possesses multiple security clearances or if any remain active. Olsen did not respond to queries regarding the polygraph test itself.An unpassed polygraph examination does not establish guilt regarding any specific criminal act, and such results are generally inadmissible across most US federal and state courts because of reliability concerns. Reuters could not determine the specific questions asked during Olsen's polygraph or the reasons for his failure.Olsen continues to work at the Justice Department, serving as senior counsel in the Miami US Attorney's Office.Attorney Kurt Olsen during his opening statement in an election challenge trial (Reuters)Nevertheless, losing his Justice Department credentials made it difficult for Olsen to remain involved in the Florida-based investigation, according to one of the sources familiar with the matter.The inquiry requires extensive examination of classified files and has sought to construct a case that intelligence and law enforcement officials serving under then-Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden violated Trump's rights under the US Constitution while probing connections between his 2016 campaign and Russia, and later seizing classified documents at Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence.A spokesperson for the Justice Department verified that Olsen does not currently hold active clearance with the agency and noted that the DOJ could not discuss any credentials he might have previously maintained.The White House did not reply to a request seeking comment.The event highlights additional instability surrounding both the Florida probe and Olsen's period in federal service, throughout which he has repeatedly attempted, largely without success, to locate evidence substantiating Trump's claims of wrongdoing.Joseph diGenova, the Justice Department official who previously directed the inquiry, stepped down on September 10 following disagreements with department management concerning investigative approach and resources.The New York Times reported last week that Olsen encountered issues regarding his security clearance, though it did not link the revocation to a polygraph test.CHALLENGING THE 2020 ELECTIONThe decision to cancel Olsen's clearance occurred days prior to Olsen informing leadership at the Miami US Attorney's Office on September 28 that he wished to step down from the probe, one source said. Another individual familiar with the matter stated that Olsen withdrew because he was unhappy with instructions from Justice Department management after diGenova resigned.Olsen told Reuters that "nothing about my security clearance was relevant to my decision to leave" the Florida probe, though he declined to provide further details regarding his departure.To date, the investigation has produced no formal criminal charges, and legal representatives for multiple individuals under scrutiny maintain that there is no evidence supporting a broad conspiracy targeted against Trump.Prosecutors have notified John Brennan, who served as CIA director under Obama, that he is a subject of the inquiry. Olsen conducted a discussion with lawyers for Brennan regarding a subpoena for grand jury testimony prior to leaving the probe, according to court documents in Brennan's lawsuit against the Justice Department. Brennan denies wrongdoing, and his attorney declined to comment.