President Donald Trump has ordered the revocation of security clearances for several of his past political rivals, including former President Joe Biden, former Vice President Kamala Harris, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
In a directive issued Friday, Trump instructed executive agencies to rescind access to classified materials and secure government facilities for numerous individuals he characterized as partisan opponents.
Trump’s Directive Targets Political and Legal Adversaries
Trump’s order removes security clearances from:
Joe Biden and members of the Biden family
Kamala Harris
Hillary Clinton
Former GOP Representatives Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger
Former Secretary of State Antony Blinken
Former National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan
New York Attorney General Letitia James
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg
Former U.S. Army Colonel Alexander Vindman
Left-wing attorneys Norman Eisen and Mark Zaid
Former Trump national security official Fiona Hill
Former Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco
These individuals have been involved in various legal and political battles against Trump. Many played roles in Trump’s first impeachment, the January 6th investigation, and multiple lawsuits against him. Bragg notably prosecuted Trump in a hush-money case, though Trump ultimately faced no punishment following his 2024 election victory.
In his memo, Trump stated:
“I hereby direct every executive department and agency head to take all additional action as necessary and consistent with existing law to revoke any active security clearances held by the aforementioned individuals and to immediately rescind their access to classified information.”
He further ordered that these individuals be stripped of “unescorted access to secure United States Government facilities.”
Political and National Security Implications
Revoking security clearances for former presidents and senior officials is rare and could have significant implications. Typically, past presidents and top national security personnel retain access to classified information in case their successors seek counsel on past decisions.
Blinken and Sullivan, both top officials under Biden, were at the helm of foreign policy during major global crises, including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Israel’s war with Hamas. Blinken also played a role in the now-discredited intelligence letter that dismissed the Hunter Biden laptop story as Russian disinformation before the 2020 election.
Cheney and Kinzinger, though once Republican lawmakers, became outspoken Trump critics and endorsed Harris’s 2024 campaign.
Trump’s Political Comeback and Fallout
Trump’s return to the White House follows his victory over Harris in the 2024 election. Harris replaced Biden as the Democratic nominee after his mental fitness came under intense scrutiny. Trump’s political resurgence came despite surviving two assassination attempts and facing multiple legal battles.
The move to revoke security clearances is likely to be seen as a politically charged decision that further deepens divisions in Washington. Critics will argue it is an act of retribution against those who challenged him, while Trump’s supporters see it as a necessary step to prevent adversaries from having access to sensitive government information.
