# Presidents and Top Secret clearance.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidents-and-top-secret-clearance/780057>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [February 17, 2017, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidents-and-top-secret-clearance/780057 "2017-02-17T15:13:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 4

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**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\
**Post date:** [February 17, 2017, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidents-and-top-secret-clearance/780057/4 "2017-02-17T15:32:09Z")

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Here’s a previous [thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=608961&highlight=president) (pre Trump) that deals with pretty much the same question. Short answer is that yes, the President has access to all classified info, since the power to classify is derived from Executive orders issued by the President:

> [@Are there any government activities so secret that even the president doesn't know about them?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-government-activities-so-secret-that-even-the-president-doesnt-know-about-them/582319/10):
>
> It is perfectly clear and incontrovertible that the President is in charge of what goes on in the Executive Branch. The Constitution says so.
> 
> How the government keeps secrets is a matter that is primarily regulated by a series of Executive Orders. In short, the “need to know” is based on a Presidential order, and as the chief executive, there is no higher authority in government on who can determine need to know. All classification authority derives from the President, so barring a “can God make a burrito so big that He cannot eat it” type of metaphysical question, of course the President is entitled to knowledge of all classified information.

I’d say it’s a safe assumption that would extend to his advisors as well - if he says “Advisor X should have access to all top secret information”, no one has the power to say no to that.

As regards your second question - the Constitution spells out the requirements to be President - 35 years old, natural citizen, 14 years resident in the USA. An attempt to add further requirements by the legislature (Congress or state) would likely result in a challenge/constitutional crisis.

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