Statement by Direction of the President Clarifying His News Conference Remarks on Security Information.

THE PRESIDENT has directed me to clarify his views on security information as follows:

1. Every citizen--including officials and publishers--has a duty to protect our country.

2. Citizens who receive military information for publication from responsible officials qualified to judge the relationship of such information to the national security may rightfully assume that it is safe to publish the information.

3. Citizens who receive military information from sources not having the necessary responsibilities and qualifications to evaluate such information should, as loyal Americans, exercise the most careful judgment in determining the safety of publishing such information.

4. The recent Executive order on classified information does not in any way alter the right of citizens to publish anything.