United States President, Donald Trump, on Friday, announced that he was revoking former President Joe Biden’s security clearance and halting his access to classified information, including daily intelligence briefings.
“There is no need for Joe Biden to continue receiving access to classified information,” Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform. “Therefore, we are immediately revoking Joe Biden’s Security Clearances and stopping his daily Intelligence Briefings.”
The implications of Trump’s claim are unclear, as former presidents typically do not retain security clearances after leaving office.
While they have access to classified information during their time in office, this privilege does not usually extend beyond their presidency.
Trump’s decision to block Biden’s access to intelligence briefings mirrors a move made by Biden exactly four years ago.
In 2021, Biden restricted Trump’s briefings, citing what he described as Trump’s “erratic behaviour” in the period surrounding the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Trump argued that Biden’s action in 2021 set a precedent, with the former president alleging that the current decision is a response to what he considers Biden’s unfair treatment of him.
Trump also pointed to former special counsel Robert Hur’s report. Although Biden was not charged with a crime, Trump said the findings depicted him as a “forgetful” leader prone to mishandling highly sensitive materials.
CNN previously reported that the investigation revealed issues surrounding Biden’s handling of classified documents.
“The Hur Report revealed that Biden suffers from ‘poor memory’ and, even in his ‘prime,’ could not be trusted with sensitive information,” Trump wrote.
In his closing remarks, Trump emphasized national security as his priority and delivered a parting shot at Biden, “Joe, you’re fired,” before ending with his well-known slogan, “Make America Great Again.”
During his tenure, then-President Biden broke new ground by barring Trump from receiving the intelligence briefings traditionally granted to former presidents.
Biden justified the decision by expressing concerns that Trump could not be trusted with classified information, given his conduct before and after the Capitol riot.
This marked the first time in history that a former president was denied intelligence briefings, which are typically granted as a courtesy and for advisory purposes in case the sitting president seeks their input.
However, with the precedent set by Biden’s 2021 decision, Trump’s move to revoke Biden’s security clearance represents an escalation.
