President Trump stopped security clearances for a slew of top Democrats and other political opponents, including former President Joe Biden, former Vice President Kamala Harris and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
In a memo released Friday, Mr. Trump said he was revoking the clearances for at least 15 people who have acted against him or heavily criticized him, underscoring that it’s “no longer in the national interest” for them to have security accessibility.
The list of political opponents and Biden-era officials whose clearances were stripped include Mr. Biden and his entire family, Ms. Harris, Ms. Clinton, former Secretary of State Antony Blinken, former Biden national security adviser Jake Sullivan, former Wyoming GOP Rep. Liz Cheney, former Illinois Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger, New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg and New York Attorney General Letitia James, the latter two of whom prosecuted criminal cases against Mr. Trump.
Others who lost their security clearances include Biden-era Justice Department official Lisa Monaco, attorneys Mark Zaid and Norm Eisen, Fiona Hill and Alexander Vindman, the latter two of whom testified against Mr. Trump in his first impeachment trial in 2019.
In addition to having their security clearances revoked, those listed in Mr. Trump’s memorandum had their “unescorted access to secure United States Government facilities” rescinded.
Several people named in Mr. Trump’s memorandum pushed back on social media.
Mr. Eisen said it was “like the third time he’s announced he’s revoking my security clearance.”
He added on X, “Who does he think I am, a big law firm or a billionaire who’s gonna back down? It just makes me file even more lawsuits!”
Mr. Kinzinger said in a video posted on X that he retired from the military a year ago and “I don’t even have a security clearance, dumbass. I’m sorry I’m living rent-free in your head, Donald, but you got this wrong.”
Mr. Zaid also noted it was the third time Mr. Trump revoked his security clearance.
The move blocks the figures mentioned in the directive from accessing classified documents and entering government buildings.
Mr. Trump announced last month his intention to revoke Mr. Biden’s security clearance, and this month National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard said she rescinded security access for Mr. Blinken, Ms. James and others, per the president’s order.
There is some precedent for revoking Mr. Biden’s security clearance. After Mr. Trump left office in 2021, his successor banned him from receiving intelligence briefings, saying his predecessor was a security risk because of his “erratic behavior” leading up to the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Former presidents don’t have formal security clearances but have been allowed access to highly sensitive information. It’s provided as a courtesy for former presidents and when a sitting president reaches out to predecessors for advice.
Currently, former Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama receive daily intelligence briefings.
Since returning to the White House last month, Mr. Trump has revoked the security clearances of roughly 50 former intelligence officials. In an executive order issued hours after his inauguration, Mr. Trump stripped 49 former senior officials of clearances for signing a letter in 2020 claiming the scandalous data on Hunter Biden’s laptop was Russian disinformation.
Mr. Trump said in the order that the letter was “misleading and inappropriate political coordination” with Mr. Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign — simply put, a hoax.
Earlier this week, Mr. Trump announced he was pulling Secret Service protection for Mr. Biden’s children Hunter and Ashley, “effective immediately.”
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.