Trump adviser Sergio Gora unexpectedly reveals Russian roots that he carefully concealed

As the newspaper found out New York Post, one of the most powerful people in the Trump administration, responsible for vetting thousands of employees, has yet to undergo a full background check himself.

Photo: Indy2320 | Dreamstime.com

Sergio Gore, the presidential personnel director who recently convinced Trump to reject Elon Musk's nomination to lead NASA, has yet to file the formal background paperwork needed to obtain a permanent security clearance, according to people familiar with the matter.

Gore, 38, is responsible for recruiting about 4000 executive branch employees to implement Trump’s agenda. He does so by poring over old social media posts, monitoring politicians’ donations and rants to ensure their loyalty to the president.

On the subject: Trump Administration Secretly Moves 17 Relatives of Drug Lord El Chapo From Mexico to US

But three administration sources said the chief inspector himself has yet to submit the SF-86 form, the 100-plus-page form required to gain access to classified information.

Among the questions that must be answered under threat of criminal liability are place of birth and presence of foreign connections.

Gore claims to be from the island nation of Malta, but an official there could not confirm his place of birth, even with an exact date: "There is no information on the data provided."

Gore refused to tell the newspaper his place of birth, saying only that it was not Russia.

Sources described Gore's refusal to submit the SF-86 as rare, if not unique, among White House staffers. He currently has a temporary security clearance, as do several Trump administration officials, pending completion of background checks.

The SF-86 is "the first step to getting a security clearance. Everyone, absolutely everyone, fills it out, even if they're not going to positions that require active clearance, like press officers, administrative staff, congressional liaisons," one of the sources said.

The question arises: why such panic about the regular form?

Gore has been a vocal opponent of the SF-86, saying he fears the "deep state" will use the process to weed out Trump's candidates.

“He was convincing everyone, particularly the legal team, that SF-86 was unnecessary and that Trump could just grant everyone clearances with an executive order,” the source said. “He was arguing that the deep state could weaponize this process against the Trump administration.”

This labor-intensive form triggers a review that involves the FBI and the Department of Defense. It is typically submitted by every White House employee, although exceptions are possible in rare cases with the president's approval.

The questionnaire contains questions about place of birth, all previous places of residence, foreign contacts and relatives, foreign sources of income, drug use, etc.

Trump administration and White House officials interviewed by The Post said they would be happy to skip the lengthy process, but nearly everyone they knew had submitted the form — usually before they started work.

The White House said Gore had "completed the form" but did not say when he intended to submit it.

"Sergio did not trust the FBI, as did many in the administration. However, at this point he has filled out the form and has a valid clearance," a White House official said, referring to Gore's temporary clearance.

White House legal adviser David Warrington said: "Gore is in full compliance with all applicable ethical and legal obligations. He has a valid security clearance and any assertion to the contrary is false."

White House press secretary Caroline Leavitt said: "Sergio Gore is a trusted confidant of President Trump who played a key role in building the most talented administration in history. It is sad that the New York Post chooses to indulge in baseless rumors rather than highlight the real successes of the Trump administration."

"He did a great job."

Gore's recruiting role spans everyone from ambassadors to department staffers implementing Trump's policies, which requires a high degree of trust, sources said.

"The Office of Personnel Management controls absolutely all political appointees; whoever you hire, it all starts and ends there," another source said. "It's a huge power."

Previously little known, Gore has found himself in the spotlight this month after being blamed for Trump's conflict with Musk.

Gore convinced Trump to reject SpaceX founder Jared Isaacman's candidacy to head NASA because of his donations to Democrats, ostensibly out of personal animosity and a desire to get back at Musk for "humiliating" him at a Cabinet meeting over the pace of appointments.

Gore denies seeking revenge, saying: "Those who have actively supported Democrats in the past should not serve in this administration."

His meteoric rise from aide to Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) to one of the most powerful men in American politics has won the admiration of supporters who see him as an effective guarantor of Trump's loyalty.

In 2021, Gore saw a dramatic rise in status and income when he and Donald Trump Jr. founded a publishing house that released a photo book featuring official Trump photos.

He soon earned enough to buy a seven-bedroom mansion on a lagoon near Palm Beach in 2022—just a short drive from Mar-a-Lago.

"He's a patriot who loves America and believes in President Trump's agenda. With such a key role in recruiting, it's no surprise that he's disappointed some of the candidates who want to run. But their complaints are just sour grapes," said Matt Volking, a former Trump 2020 campaign official.

Vice President J.D. Vance praised Gore for doing a "great job": "Sergio is leading the effort to bring committed, principled America First people to serve in the administration. He has done a great job and will continue to do so."

"Mr. Malta": Pride in island origins

Nearly a dozen U.S. officials who worked with Gore in the White House and earlier in the Senate said he spoke frequently of his Maltese heritage — so often that it became part of his identity.

None of his former or current colleagues have heard him name any other country of origin.

"He talked about it all the time and was always 'Mr. Malta,'" a former colleague confirmed. "He talked about Maltese pastries and his favorite bakery in Queens."

Another colleague added: "Everyone knows he's Maltese," and noted that "it's unclear why he would want to hide anything else."

In a 2006 interview with the Long Beach Press-Telegram, 19-year-old Gore said he immigrated to the United States from Malta at age 12, in 1998 or 1999. He did not mention other countries of residence.

“In history class, you learn about immigrants who came with nothing and achieved everything,” Gore said at the time. “Becoming a citizen is a step toward the great American dream.”

The White House reported that Gore attended primary and secondary school in Malta under the name Gorokhovsky (in other sources – Goryachev. – Note.), but the exact dates are unclear.

Deputy Prime Minister of Malta Ian Borg said: "Sergio spent almost a decade of his early childhood in Malta. He actually went to school here, speaks fluent Maltese and has deep ties to the island. We are proud to have Sergio as our countryman!"

“Who cares where Sergio grew up?” wondered Charlie Kirk, co-founder of Turning Point USA. “He’s been working in conservative politics for over 20 years. His loyalty to Donald Trump is impeccable. His record speaks for itself. He’s the embodiment of the American dream.”

Some sources doubt that the mere lack of confirmation of Gore's birth in Malta is sufficient to initiate a biographical investigation.

"He's one of those weird characters in Washington who always has this sense of incompleteness around him, like there are a few pieces missing from the puzzle," a source who has followed Gore's career said of the politician.

You may be interested in: top New York news, stories of our immigrants and helpful tips about life in the Big Apple - read it all on ForumDaily New York

Following the New York Post's investigative reporting, other publications began looking for dark spots in Gore's biography. 24 Channel directly calls him a “Russian agent,” referring to the public and political figure from the United States, Yuri Rashkin.

"Today, people are shocked that the White House is run by a Russian. However, it is very good that they are shocked, because it is impossible to normalize this evil. It was not for nothing that Putin's aide Nikolai Patrushev said that Trump took on certain obligations that he must fulfill," the politician summed up. "Gradually, most people who cannot decide whether Trump is crazy or an agent of the Kremlin will be inclined to believe that he is working with Russia. For this, they will only need to look at the people who work for Trump and who they recruit for other positions in the White House."

According to other media reports, Gore used a unique and long password 961649507273 for his email [email protected]. According to journalists, the same password was used for seven mailboxes in the Russian domain zone.

Read also on ForumDaily:

Social Media Verification Now Required to Get a US Student Visa

US Senator Ejected From Chamber, Handcuffed For Trying to Ask Homeland Security Secretary Question

Marines sent to Los Angeles to contain protesters: Trump demands Newsom's arrest

Terrorism Prevention in the US Now Led by a 22-Year-Old Intern

Do you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram  and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis.