Security Clearances Revoked for Multiple High-Profile Figures

Green sign with the words The End skyward

President Donald Trump has officially revoked security clearances for high-profile political figures including Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and Hillary Clinton, citing national security concerns while critics question the political motivations behind the move.

Key Takeaways

President Trump has revoked security clearances for multiple political figures including former President Biden, former VP Harris, and Hillary Clinton.
The revocation affects access to classified information, intelligence briefings, and secure government facilities.
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard had previously revoked clearances for “the 51 signers of the Hunter Biden ‘disinformation’ letter.”
Trump simultaneously announced the removal of Secret Service protection for Hunter and Ashley Biden.
The White House memo directs executive departments to inform private entities if named individuals received security clearances through private employment.

Presidential Authority Exercised

In a significant security decision, President Donald Trump has issued a memorandum revoking security clearances for several high-profile political figures. The directive affects former President Joe Biden, former Vice President Kamala Harris, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, along with other officials from previous administrations. The memorandum, addressed to heads of executive departments and agencies, explicitly revokes any active security clearances and terminates access to classified information for the named individuals.

Beyond revoking access to classified information, the directive also eliminates unescorted access to secure US Government facilities and ends classified briefings from the Intelligence Community. The memorandum contains a comprehensive list of affected individuals including Antony Blinken, Jacob Sullivan, Letitia James, Alvin Bragg, Elizabeth Cheney, Adam Kinzinger, and Alexander Vindman. The President’s Daily Brief, a classified intelligence summary typically provided to former presidents, is no longer being delivered to Biden.

Presidential Reasoning

The White House memorandum outlines the President’s rationale for the decision in clear terms. “I have determined that it is no longer in the national interest for the following individuals to access classified information,” Trump stated in the directive. This follows previous actions by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who had already revoked security clearances for what she described as “the 51 signers of the Hunter Biden ‘disinformation’ letter.”

The directive includes specific instructions for executive agencies to inform private entities if any of the named individuals received security clearances through private employment. This approach strengthens the reach of the order beyond government spheres into the private sector where former officials often gain employment after leaving public service. The memorandum explicitly states it does not create any enforceable rights or benefits against the United States government or its entities.

Related Security Changes

In a parallel security decision, President Trump has also removed Secret Service protection for Hunter and Ashley Biden. “Hunter Biden has had Secret Service protection for an extended period of time, all paid for by the United States Taxpayer. There are as many as 18 people on this Detail, which is ridiculous! Please be advised that, effective immediately, Hunter Biden will no longer receive Secret Service protection. Likewise, Ashley Biden who has 13 agents will be taken off the list,” Trump declared in his announcement.

Under federal law, former presidents and their spouses receive lifelong Secret Service protection, but this protection does not automatically extend to their children after leaving office. Both Trump and Biden had previously extended Secret Service protection for their adult children before leaving office. Some individuals targeted by the security clearance revocation have responded on social media, with certain figures dismissing the significance of losing clearances they claim to no longer use or need.

Political Context

The timing and targeting of these security clearance revocations have generated significant discussion about potential political motivations. Several outlets including POLITICO have characterized the move as targeting Trump’s perceived enemies and political foes. The list includes figures who have been involved in legal actions against Trump, such as New York State Attorney General Letitia James and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, adding another dimension to the controversy surrounding the decision.

While the directive frames the revocation as a national security matter, the inclusion of political rivals and legal adversaries has led to scrutiny about the separation between security concerns and political considerations. The decision represents one of the most significant security clearance revocations in recent political history, affecting former high-ranking officials across multiple branches of government and creating new precedent for how security clearances are managed in transitions between administrations.