Trump ally Kurt Olsen loses DOJ security clearance after failing polygraph test, sources say

From the Newshound archive · first published 7 October 2026.

Kurt Olsen, a Justice Department attorney who promoted debunked 2020 election fraud claims, had his DOJ security clearance revoked last month after failing a polygraph test. According to two sources familiar with the matter, the lie-detector result was a factor in the decision, though other considerations may also have played a role. Olsen says he retains active clearance through a separate, unnamed agency. Last week he withdrew from a criminal investigation aimed at a number of prominent critics of President Donald Trump.