In an another move US president Donald Trump revoked security clearance for a few of his opponents. He had revoked including Kamala Harris, Hillary Clinton, Joseph R. Biden Jr. and “any other member of Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s family. The move came after he had already announced in February that he planned to remove his predecessor’s access to classified intelligence briefings. Trump have also revoked security clearances for Antony J. Blinken, the former secretary of state, and Jake Sullivan, the former national security adviser.
Why Did He Revoked Security Clearance?
According to a The New York Times report, Biden had done the same to him after he left office in the days after the Jan 6., 2021, attack on the Capitol. Since his return to office, Trump has used memos, like the one he released on Friday, as a tool to attack or criticize people who have attempted to hold him accountable or have opposed him in some way.
What Could Block Their Access to the White House?
Revoking the security clearance would ban the leaders from getting into federal buildings or retrieving classified materials.
Who Are The Others
The other individuals whose access was revoked include Jake Sullivan, Lisa Monaco, Mark Zaid, Norman Eisen, Letitia James, Alvin Bragg, Andrew Weissmann, and Alexander Vindman. Trump has not spared anyone he disliked or those who opposed him since 2019. Among those affected were top foreign policy expert Fiona Hill, who testified during the impeachment hearings; Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman, who also testified; and lawyer Norman Eisen, who oversaw the impeachment process—all of whom faced Trump’s axe.
Removed Joe Biden’s Access In February
In February, President Donald Trump has said he is revoking Joe Biden’s security clearance and ending the daily intelligence briefings he’s receiving- in payback for Biden doing the same to him in the wake of the January 6 attacks.
Trump announced his decision in a post saying: “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.
“He set this precedent in 2021, when he instructed the intelligence community (IC) to stop the 45th president of the United States (me!) from accessing details on national security, a courtesy provided to former presidents.”
