Trump Revokes Security Clearances of Biden, Harris, and Other Former Officials
US President Donald Trump followed through on a threat Friday to revoke the security clearances of several high-profile figures from the Biden administration, including President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and several senior former White House and national security officials.
The list of those stripped of access to classified materials includes Biden and his family members, as well as his political rival, Harris. Other notable names on the list are former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, current Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.
In a memorandum sent to agency heads and distributed by the White House communications office, Trump directed that the individuals named should no longer be allowed to access classified information. “I hereby direct every executive department and agency head to revoke any active security clearances held by the aforementioned individuals,” Trump stated. He further ordered that these officials be denied unescorted access to secure US government facilities.
It is customary for former US presidents and high-ranking national security officials to retain security clearances as a courtesy, which can be useful for post-office employment, particularly with private contractors. However, Trump, who continues to falsely claim that the 2020 election was stolen from him, has remained hostile toward Biden and has made frequent attacks against his predecessor’s administration.
The move comes despite Trump himself being investigated for security breaches after classified White House documents were found at his Mar-a-Lago resort between his first and second terms. The investigation was closed after he returned to office.
Many of those targeted by the security clearance revocation were high-profile political figures from the Obama administration, including former Republican lawmaker and vocal Trump critic Liz Cheney. Fiona Hill, a British-born intelligence analyst who served under both Democratic and Republican administrations, including as an advisor in Trump’s White House, is also on the list. Hill’s colleague, Alexander Vindman, a former senior officer in the US Army, is also named, after he became a target of Trump’s wrath for raising concerns about White House dealings with Russia.
Trump’s latest action is part of an ongoing campaign against his political adversaries and signals an escalating political and legal conflict as the 2024 election approaches.
