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CLARITY Act recast as national security measure by former Defense Secretary Esper

8/10/2026

The CLARITY Act is in focus after former US Defense Secretary Mark Esper argued publicly that the legislation is a national security measure, not a financial services one.

Esper, who led the Department of Defense, is lending that credential to a debate Congress has largely framed as a crypto regulation question.

The next confirmable milestone is a committee vote or a formal co-sponsorship from a defense-focused lawmaker.

A different frame Esper's position is direct: the CLARITY Act should be understood through a national security lens. That is a departure from the financial services framing that has defined the bill's positioning so far.

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