Who may exercise original classification authority?

Who may exercise original classification authority?

• A. The President and the Vice President; agency heads and officials designated by the President; and United States Government and Officials authorized to classify information at a specified level (they are also authorized to classify information at a lower level).
• B. Any employee who handles sensitive information.
• C. Only the President.
• D. Only agency heads.

Answer: (A)

Original classification authority comes from a defined group of senior officials who are empowered to make new classification decisions. This authority rests with the President and Vice President by default, and with agency heads plus officials designated by the President to classify information. It can also extend to other United States Government officials who are authorized to classify at a specified level, and those officials may classify at that level or at lower levels. This framework ensures that classification decisions are made by individuals with appropriate responsibility and accountability, rather than by every employee who handles sensitive information. So the best answer reflects this broader, officially designated set of authorities, not just the President alone, not all agency heads, and not every employee.

Original classification authority comes from a defined group of senior officials who are empowered to make new classification decisions. This authority rests with the President and Vice President by default, and with agency heads plus officials designated by the President to classify information. It can also extend to other United States Government officials who are authorized to classify at a specified level, and those officials may classify at that level or at lower levels. This framework ensures that classification decisions are made by individuals with appropriate responsibility and accountability, rather than by every employee who handles sensitive information.

So the best answer reflects this broader, officially designated set of authorities, not just the President alone, not all agency heads, and not every employee.