Natalie Harp, a close aide to President Trump, worked at the White House without a security clearance for over a year.

“Trump’s closest aide, Natalie Harp, declined multiple times over more than a year to seek a routine security clearance normally obtained by West Wing staffers to work at the White House, sources tell MS NOW.” https://www.ms.now/news/trump-aide-natalie-harp-worked-at-the-white-house-without-security-clearance-for-a-year I had a Top Secret clearance for a couple of years in the 1980s, required by a project I was working on. (I was never exposed to even Secret documents, so a waste of money.) I was not informed that it was optional. Wilhoit's Law: https://slate.com/business/2022/06/wilhoits-law-conservatives-frank-wilhoit.html

“President Donald Trump’s closest aide, Natalie Harp, declined multiple times over more than a year to seek a routine security clearance normally obtained by West Wing staffers to work at the White House, according to two people familiar with the matter.” https://www.ms.now/news/trump-aide-natalie-harp-worked-at-the-white-house-without-security-clearance-for-a-year