In a major shake-up, President Donald Trump has officially revoked security clearances for Joe Biden, his family, and several important officials from the previous administration. The move, outlined in a memo signed by Trump on March 21, also strips former Vice President Kamala Harris and prominent anti-Trump figures of access to classified intelligence.
A Precedent Set And Followed
Beyond Joe Biden and Harris, Trump’s directive extends to former administration officials like Secretary of State Antony Blinken, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. The list also includes legal figures involved in past investigations against Trump, such as Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, New York Attorney General Letitia James, and Robert Mueller’s former prosecutor Andrew Weissmann. Officials have barred high-profile anti-Trump Republicans Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger.
Trump’s directive ensures that these individuals lose not only their security clearances but also their access to classified intelligence briefings and unescorted entry into government facilities. He further instructed agencies to notify any private employers who may have granted clearances to the named individuals.
With this move, Donald Trump effectively mirrors Biden’s past actions while intensifying the political battle. As tensions mount heading into another election cycle, the implications of this decision could be far-reaching, reshaping how former presidents interact with intelligence in the future.
