APS Letter on Oppenheimer Security Clearance

The Honorable Jennifer Granholm
Secretary, United States Department of Energy
1000 Independence Avenue SW
Washington, D.C. 20585

Dear Madam Secretary:

We are writing, in our capacity as leaders of the American Physical Society, to offer our views in the ongoing discussions regarding the 1954 decision by the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) to deny the renewal of J. Robert Oppenheimer’s, Ph.D., security clearance. Our motivation is straightforward: the processes involved in granting and renewing national security clearances must be fair and free from political or other meddling. The integrity of the U.S. government’s security clearance processes is essential and this includes correcting past mistakes. Therefore, it is imperative for the Department of Energy, as the successor of the AEC, to publicly acknowledge the mistakes that were committed by the AEC’s clearance review process for Oppenheimer in 1954.

As physicists, we are quite aware of Oppenheimer’s considerable scientific and technical contributions to our nation’s efforts during World War II. We also are aware of the considerable historical evidence now available that makes it evident that Oppenheimer’s treatment during the security review board’s process was unfair. It is now clear that the review process was deliberately skewed to ensure that Oppenheimer’s security clearance would not be renewed, and furthermore that aspersions would be cast – implicitly as well as explicitly – on his character. Unimpeachable individuals such as General Leslie Groves provided written support for Oppenheimer’s loyalty to the United States.

For reasons stated in the Los Alamos laboratory directors’ letter to you (which we had the privilege to read), it would have been inappropriate for Oppenheimer to receive special considerations because of his prominence, but it would have been entirely appropriate for him to be treated with the same rights that are offered to anyone being reviewed for security clearance or its renewal. He was, however, not treated with the same rights.

For these reasons, we are asking for official nullification of the AEC’s 1954 security review board (the “Gray Board”) decision in the matter of J. Robert Oppenheimer, as well as an apology by the department for what then transpired. To be clear, these two actions would not restore Oppenheimer’s security clearance, and we are not seeking to do so. These actions would affirm the U.S. government’s commitment to the fair treatment of any individual seeking security clearance and that its security clearance decisions are principled.