In a recent action, former President Donald Trump has officially revoked security clearances for former President Joe Biden and several individuals associated with him, as outlined in a memo released late on Friday. The memo, titled “Rescinding Security Clearances and Access to Classified Information from Specified Individuals,” specifies that access to classified information is no longer deemed to be in the national interest for those listed.
The individuals affected by this decision include Biden, members of his family, Vice President Kamala Harris, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Additionally, Trump also included several figures who have been involved in legal actions against him, such as New York Attorney General Letitia James and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, as well as former Republican Representatives Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, who served on the January 6th committee.
The memo highlights that the revocation extends to access to classified briefings and information that these individuals might have received due to their previous governmental roles. Notably, some individuals listed had their security clearances revoked earlier this month by Tulsi Gabbard, the new Director of National Intelligence.
Security clearance is a classification that permits individuals to access sensitive national security information, determined by their roles and responsibilities. Typically, former presidents and top officials retain certain clearance privileges post-tenure. Trump's action follows Biden's earlier decision to revoke Trump's security clearance, citing concerns regarding Trump's behavior during the January 6 Capitol riots.