President Trump revoked security clearances for Biden, Harris, Clinton and other political figures, ending their access to classified information in what some call a decisive security measure and others a political statement.
Quick Takes
- Trump has revoked security clearances for multiple individuals including Biden, Harris, Clinton, and several others who previously opposed him politically.
- The revocation affects access to classified information, Intelligence Community briefings, and unescorted access to secure government facilities.
- Trump stated these individuals no longer serve the “national interest” in having access to sensitive information.
- The list includes former officials who led cases against Trump, including NY AG Letitia James and Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg.
- Trump has also ended Secret Service protection for Hunter and Ashley Biden, citing taxpayer expenses.
Who’s Affected and What It Means
President Donald Trump has issued a memorandum revoking security clearances for a list of prominent political figures, including former President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The directive, addressed to the heads of executive departments and agencies, also targets officials like Antony Blinken, Liz Cheney, Adam Kinzinger, and legal figures who pursued cases against Trump, such as New York Attorney General Letitia James and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. The extensive list also includes all members of the Biden family who may have held clearances.
The revocation has immediate and practical implications for those listed. They now face restrictions on accessing classified information, receiving briefings from the Intelligence Community, and entering secure government facilities without escorts. According to the White House memorandum, executive departments must also notify private entities if any of these individuals received security clearances through private employment, potentially affecting their current professional roles outside of government service.
Trump’s Rationale and Official Statement
In the official memorandum, Trump directly addressed his reasoning for the sweeping action. “I have determined that it is no longer in the national interest for the following individuals to access classified information,” the statement reads, before listing the sixteen named individuals plus Biden family members. The move follows earlier actions by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who had previously revoked clearances for what she described as “the 51 signers of the Hunter Biden ‘disinformation’ letter.”
The directive is specifically designed to cut off these individuals from intelligence resources they might otherwise retain. Most notably, former President Biden will no longer receive the Presidential Daily Brief, an intelligence summary traditionally made available to former presidents as a courtesy.
Secret Service Changes and Broader Security Shifts
In a related security decision, Trump announced the termination of Secret Service protection for President Biden’s children, Hunter and Ashley Biden. Trump specifically cited taxpayer expense concerns, claiming Hunter Biden’s detail included as many as 18 people and Ashley Biden’s consisted of 13 agents. Under federal law, former presidents and their spouses receive lifelong Secret Service protection, but this protection doesn’t automatically extend to adult children after leaving office.
The security clearance revocations are particularly notable for including individuals who played key roles in legal actions against Trump. This includes not just James and Bragg, who pursued cases in New York, but also figures like Andrew Weissmann, who was involved in investigations related to Trump. Some media outlets, including POLITICO, have characterized the move as targeting Trump’s perceived enemies and political foes, highlighting the unprecedented scope of security clearance revocations targeting former high-ranking officials.
Sources:
- Trump Revokes Security Clearances for Joe Biden and Other Huge Names
- Rescinding Security Clearances and Access to Classified Information from Specified Individuals
- Trump revokes security clearances of former opponents Kamala Harris, Hillary Clinton
