The Law of Classified Information: A Primer

[RainCaster]

This is a great article on what makes something classified or not. It comes from Lawfare Blog, which does things right, with lots of inline references. It's in depth.
There is no paywall, so read it and enjoy.

The ongoing legal battle over former National Security Adviser John Bolton’s book is in large part a fight over classification. The Department of Justice argues that Bolton published classified information in his memoir, “The Room Where It Happened.” Bolton alleges that a career official at the National Security Council had approved his book for publication after several rounds of edits in prepublication review before political appointees reversed her judgment. On June 20, Judge Royce Lamberth denied the government’s motion to block release of the book but determined that “Bolton likely published classified materials”—and could face the loss of his book royalties as a result.

The Bolton debacle provides an opportunity to explain how the classification system—a system that affects some 4 million Americans—really functions: what law governs classification, what kinds of information may be classified, who decides what’s classified and how classification is enforced.

[sandensea]

1. To GOP presidents, it's anything that might embarrass them in the least

Which, in Cheeto's case, is everything from 'Once upon a time' to 'the end'.

[marie999]

2. Because of my husband's and my clearance while in the army and working for the NSA.

and being privileged to work with SCI, our military records are flagged and his has been flagged since October 4, 1964, and mine 3 years later. We last checked in January 2020 and received another copy of our "Restriction of Assignment and Travel of Personel having Access to Special Intelligence.". The only records we have been given are certain redacted medical records.