President Donald Trump has followed through on his decision to revoke security clearances for former President Joe Biden.
Late Friday night, a memo titled “Rescinding Security Clearances and Access to Classified Information from Specified Individuals” was issued, outlining Trump’s directive to strip Biden, several members of his administration, and other political opponents of their security clearances.
Trump determined that it was “no longer in the national interest” for these individuals to retain “any active security clearance” or “unescorted” access to government facilities.
“This action includes, but is not limited to, receipt of classified briefings, such as the President’s Daily Brief, and access to classified information held by any member of the Intelligence Community by virtue of the named individuals’ previous tenure in the Congress,” the memo states.
The directive applied not only to Biden but also to “any other member of Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s family.” Among those listed was Kamala Harris, Biden’s former Vice President and Trump’s opponent in the 2024 presidential election.
Also included were former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former Secretary of State Antony Blinken, former National Security Advisor Jacob Sullivan, and former Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco.
Additionally, New York Attorney General Letitia James and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg—both of whom were involved in prosecuting Trump—were named in the order. Former Representatives Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, Republicans who served on the committee investigating the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, also had their security privileges rescinded.
The memo further listed whistleblower attorney Mark Zaid, Fiona Hill—Trump’s former Russia analyst who testified during his first impeachment hearing—Norman Eisen, an attorney involved in lawsuits against the Trump administration, as well as attorneys Andrew Weissmann and Alexander Vindman, the former Director for European Affairs at the National Security Council.
In an emailed statement, Zaid pushed back against the move: “There are many of us who will not be bullied or intimidated, notwithstanding the continued attacks on lawyers.”
“Lawyers are the first line of defense against authoritarianism, which is why Shakespeare’s Henry VI character Dick the Butcher wants to kill us,” he said. “It looks like President Trump has found a more effective way of eliminating those he fears might challenge him.”
Vindman also responded via social media, dismissing the significance of the decision: “I’m not a weak-kneed billionaire or a massive spineless law firm, so I don’t care what noises Donald Trump makes about a security clearance that hasn’t been active for five years.”
Some individuals on Trump’s list had reportedly already had their clearances revoked earlier this month by newly installed Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.
Donald Trump (Photo: Nathan Howard)What Is Security Clearance?
According to the State Department, security clearance is a determination of whether an individual is permitted access to classified national security information. For government employees, the level of access is determined by a formal security clearance process and vetting procedures based on job function.
However, for the President, Vice President, and members of Congress, their election alone grants them security clearance privileges without the need for vetting. Congress recognizes three levels of security clearance: “Confidential,” “Secret,” and “Top Secret.”
Former Presidents and other high-ranking officials are typically allowed continued access to classified information as a courtesy after leaving office. However, in 2021, Biden revoked Trump’s security clearance, citing what he described as Trump’s “erratic behavior” surrounding the January 6 Capitol riot.
Trump had publicly announced his intention to revoke Biden’s security clearance on February 7, posting on his Truth Social platform: “There is no need for Joe Biden to continue receiving access to classified information.
Therefore, we are immediately revoking Joe Biden’s Security Clearances, and stopping his daily Intelligence Briefings. I will always protect our National Security — JOE, YOU’RE FIRED.”
On March 17, Trump additionally announced the removal of Secret Service protection for Biden’s adult children. Earlier this year, his administration had also reportedly stripped security details from former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former National Security Adviser John Bolton.
Brooklyn Law School professor Heidi Gilchrist, a former CIA analyst and national security expert, pointed out that for many government officials, losing security clearance can mean losing their careers. She suggested that officials may now reconsider their political stances when dealing with the President.
While acknowledging that Trump has “broad authority” to revoke clearances, Gilchrist argued that there is a “strong argument” that revoking clearance for political rivals could violate the First Amendment. She also noted that this situation might open the door for judicial intervention.
“Courts generally will not review security clearance decisions, as they just defer to the executive branch in matters of national security,” Gilchrist explained. “But this [instance] is not based on any sort of national security expertise or rationale… this could be a clear opening for courts to review clearance decisions which they’ve stayed away from in the past.”