Executive Order 12958
Encyclopedia
Executive Order 12958 created new standards for the process of identifying and protecting classified information
, and led to an unprecedented effort to declassify millions of pages from the U.S. diplomatic and national security history. In 1995, United States
President
William J. Clinton
signed this Executive Order. , this policy has resulted in the declassification of what were 800 million pages of historically valuable records, with the potential of hundreds of millions more being declassified in the near future. Clinton's White House
Chief of Staff
, John Podesta
, was an important influence in this process.
One outcome of this change in policy is the government's 1995 admission of its two-decade-plus involvement in funding highly-classified, special access programs in remote viewing
(RV).
This effort also involved the late Laurance Rockefeller
and also focused on the classified UFO records that Clinton wanted declassified. Clinton's interest in UFOs is explored in a book by Webster Hubbell
titled Friends In High Places. Hubbell was Janet Reno
's Assistant Attorney General
and reveals that he was asked by Clinton, the newly-elected President at the time, to learn everything he could about who killed
John F. Kennedy
and about UFOs. Later, on November 30, 1995, while visiting Belfast
, Northern Ireland
, Clinton made a comment in a humorous tone, about the controversial Roswell UFO incident
:
EO 12958 was amended and effectively replaced by President George W. Bush
on March 25, 2003, in Executive Order 13292
(text). EO 13292 has itself since revoked and replaced. The current EO in effect for classified information is Executive Order 13526
(text).
Classified information in the United States
The United States government classification system is currently established under Executive Order 13526, the latest in a long series of executive orders on the topic. Issued by President Barack Obama in 2009, Executive Order 13526 replaced earlier executive orders on the topic and modified the...
, and led to an unprecedented effort to declassify millions of pages from the U.S. diplomatic and national security history. In 1995, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
William J. Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
signed this Executive Order. , this policy has resulted in the declassification of what were 800 million pages of historically valuable records, with the potential of hundreds of millions more being declassified in the near future. Clinton's White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
Chief of Staff
White House Chief of Staff
The White House Chief of Staff is the highest ranking member of the Executive Office of the President of the United States and a senior aide to the President.The current White House Chief of Staff is Bill Daley.-History:...
, John Podesta
John Podesta
John David Podesta was the fourth and final White House Chief of Staff under President Bill Clinton, from 1998 until 2001. He is the president of the Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank in Washington, D.C., and is also a Visiting Professor of Law at the Georgetown University Law...
, was an important influence in this process.
One outcome of this change in policy is the government's 1995 admission of its two-decade-plus involvement in funding highly-classified, special access programs in remote viewing
Remote viewing
Remote viewing is the practice of seeking impressions about a distant or unseen target using paranormal means, in particular, extra-sensory perception or "sensing with mind"...
(RV).
This effort also involved the late Laurance Rockefeller
Laurance Rockefeller
Laurance Spelman Rockefeller was a venture capitalist, financier, philanthropist, a major conservationist and a prominent third-generation member of the Rockefeller family. He was the fourth child of John D. Rockefeller, Jr. and brother to John D...
and also focused on the classified UFO records that Clinton wanted declassified. Clinton's interest in UFOs is explored in a book by Webster Hubbell
Webster Hubbell
Webster Lee "Web" Hubbell , is a former Arkansas lawyer and politician. He was a lawyer in Pulaski County before serving as Mayor of Little Rock from 1979 until he resigned in 1981. He was appointed by Bill Clinton as chief justice of Arkansas State Supreme Court in 1983...
titled Friends In High Places. Hubbell was Janet Reno
Janet Reno
Janet Wood Reno is a former Attorney General of the United States . She was nominated by President Bill Clinton on February 11, 1993, and confirmed on March 11...
's Assistant Attorney General
United States Assistant Attorney General
Many of the divisions and offices of the United States Department of Justice are headed by an Assistant Attorney General.The President of the United States appoints individuals to the position of Assistant Attorney General with the advice and consent of the Senate...
and reveals that he was asked by Clinton, the newly-elected President at the time, to learn everything he could about who killed
Assassination of John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the thirty-fifth President of the United States, was assassinated at 12:30 p.m. Central Standard Time on Friday, November 22, 1963, in Dealey Plaza, Dallas, Texas...
John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
and about UFOs. Later, on November 30, 1995, while visiting Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, Clinton made a comment in a humorous tone, about the controversial Roswell UFO incident
Roswell UFO incident
The Roswell UFO Incident was the recovery of an object that crashed in the general vicinity of Roswell, New Mexico, in June or July 1947, allegedly an extra-terrestrial spacecraft and its alien occupants. Since the late 1970s the incident has been the subject of intense controversy and of...
:
EO 12958 was amended and effectively replaced by President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
on March 25, 2003, in Executive Order 13292
Executive Order 13292
Executive Order 13292 was an executive order issued by United States President George W. Bush on March 25, 2003, entitled "Further Amendment to Executive Order 12958, as Amended, Classified National Security Information." The Executive Order modified the manner in which sensitive information was...
(text). EO 13292 has itself since revoked and replaced. The current EO in effect for classified information is Executive Order 13526
Executive Order 13526
Executive Order 13526 was enacted on December 29, 2009 by United States President Barack Obama. It is the latest in a series of executive orders from US Presidents outlining how classified information should be handled...
(text).