Trump revokes security clearances for Biden & Harris: Which other political rivals are on the list?

Donald Trump has revoked the security clearances of Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and a wide range of political opponents in a late-night presidential memo issued on Friday (March 21), escalating his campaign to purge access to sensitive information from those he considers enemies.

The directive strips access to classified intelligence from a list of high-profile Democrats and former officials, including former secretary of state Antony Blinken, ex-lawmakers Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, and New York attorney general Letitia James, who led the civil fraud case against Trump.

The ban also applies to Biden’s entire family, marking a sharp break from the tradition of offering former leaders continued access to intelligence out of courtesy and institutional continuity.

“I have determined that it is no longer in the national interest for the following individuals to access classified information,” Trump wrote in the memo. He added that all executive agencies must revoke not only their clearances, but also their unescorted access to secure government facilities.

The announcement builds on action earlier this month by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who said she had already revoked clearances for a number of individuals on Trump’s list, including the 51 former intelligence officials who publicly cast doubt on the authenticity of Hunter Biden’s laptop before the 2020 election, describing it as likely Russian disinformation.

Trump’s decision to cut Biden off from intelligence briefings is seen as a retaliatory move, following the former president’s exclusion from such briefings in 2021 when Biden cited Trump’s “erratic behavior” as justification for withholding access.

The directive also follows Trump’s decision earlier in the week to end Secret Service protection for Biden’s children, Hunter and Ashley. Trump claimed the move was warranted after reports that 18 agents had been assigned to accompany Hunter Biden on a trip to South Africa, and 13 to Ashley Biden.

Friday’s memo includes individuals who have played prominent roles in investigations and legal actions against Trump over the years. Alongside James and Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg– who led criminal cases against him– Trump also named Fiona Hill and Alexander Vindman, both of whom testified during his first impeachment trial, and Norman Eisen, one of the legal architects behind those proceedings.

Former Republican representatives Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, vocal Trump critics and members of the House committee that investigated the January 6 Capitol riot, were also targeted.

The memo makes clear that the ban applies broadly, covering intelligence briefings, such as the President’s Daily Brief, and all classified information within the intelligence community.

Trump’s actions suggest an intensification of political retribution as he enters his second term, with national security clearances becoming another battlefield in a deepening partisan divide.

With inputs from agencies