President Donald Trump has issued a memorandum rescinding security clearances and access to classified information from a list of high-profile individuals.
According to a statement from the White House, the individuals named include prominent political figures such as Antony Blinken, Jake Sullivan, Hillary Clinton, Kamala Harris, Adam Kinzinger, and even former President Joe Biden.
The memorandum, addressed to the heads of executive departments and agencies, orders that all security clearances be revoked immediately and unescorted access to government facilities be revoked as well.
This move is a direct effort to limit the access of these individuals to sensitive national security data, including classified briefings like the President’s Daily Brief, previously available due to their previous roles in government or private entities.
The memorandum also requires agencies to inform private entities that these individuals no longer have clearance.
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While the directive is a major political gesture, the memorandum states that it doesn’t create any enforceable legal rights for affected individuals or entities.
This decision has generated significant political debate, with critics questioning its implications on national security and partisan dynamics.
In February, Trump announced he was revoking Biden’s security access, BBC reports.
In a social media post, Trump claimed that Biden had set a precedent in 2021 by barring him from receiving intelligence briefings, citing concerns over his “erratic behaviour.”
When Biden was president, he had blocked Trump from intelligence briefings after taking office, citing security concerns.
Meanwhile, a 2024 Justice Department special counsel report revealed that Biden improperly retained classified documents from his time as vice president but cooperated with investigators to return them.
Trump, indicted in 2023 for mishandling classified documents, pleaded not guilty.
A Florida judge dismissed the case in July 2024, and it was officially dropped in December after Trump’s re-election.
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