Politics
JUST IN: Trump Yanks Security Clearances From Kamala Harris, Joe Biden
President Donald Trump on Friday revoked the security clearances of Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Liz Cheney, Hillary Clinton and several other political leaders who have engaged in partisan smears and conspiracies against the administration.
“I have determined that it is no longer in the national interest for the following individuals to access classified information: Antony Blinken, Jacob Sullivan, Lisa Monaco, Mark Zaid, Norman Eisen, Letitia James, Alvin Bragg, Andrew Weissmann, Hillary Clinton, Elizabeth Cheney, Kamala Harris, Adam Kinzinger, Fiona Hill, Alexander Vindman, Joseph R. Biden Jr., and any other member of Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s family,” the president wrote in a White House memo.
The move comes just a couple weeks after Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced that several people listed in the memo would have their security clearances revoked and would no longer be given access to classified information. The same was done for the 51 former intelligence officers who signed a bogus letter falsely claiming that the infamous Hunter Biden laptop story was a “Russian disinformation” campaign.
The memo was circulated by former acting CIA Director Michael Morrell at the behest of former Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Blinken addresses State Department employees in January 2021
“The President’s Daily Brief is no longer being provided to former President Biden,” Gabbard wrote in a March 10 X post announcing the terminations.
In addition to losing their security clearances, the individuals listed in Trump’s memo have had their “unescorted access to secure United States Government facilities” rescinded. “This action includes, but is not limited to, receipt of classified briefings, such as the President’s Daily Brief, and access to classified information held by any member of the Intelligence Community by virtue of the named individuals’ previous tenure in the Congress,” the president wrote.
“In the event that any of the named individuals received a security clearance by virtue of their employment with a private entity, the United States Government entity that granted the security clearance should inform the private entity that these individuals’ ability to access classified information has been revoked. ”
Trump’s decision to restrict his predecessor’s access to intelligence briefings comes nearly four years after Biden made the same move against Trump, citing his “erratic behavior” before and after the January 6 Capitol protests. The move marked the first time a former president had been cut off from intelligence briefings, which are generally given as a courtesy in the event that the current officeholder would want to consult one of his predecessors for advice. Currently, the briefings are offered to former Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barrack Obama.
While speaking with CBS News’ Norah O’Donnell in February 2021, Biden falsely labeled the January 6 Capitol protests as an “insurrection” and claimed that his decision was related to Trump’s “erratic behavior” unrelated to the protests. “I just think that there is no need for him to have the intelligence briefings,” Biden said at the time.
In addition, the move comes just a few days after President Trump pulled Secret Service protection from Hunter and Ashley Biden. While former presidents and their spouses receive Secret Service protection for life under federal law, the protection ends for additional members of the president’s family after they leave office. Both Trump and Biden extended protections for their children after leaving office in their previous terms.
