Trump says he is revoking Biden's security clearance

U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that he will revoke Joe Biden's security clearance and access to daily intelligence briefings, mirroring a move his predecessor took against him four years prior. This action marks the latest escalation in a long-standing tense relationship between the two presidents and sparks debate about the appropriateness of granting former presidents access to classified information.

Trump stated on his Truth Social platform, "There is no reason why Joe Biden should continue to receive classified information." He further added that Biden "set this precedent in 2021 when he directed the Intelligence Community (IC) to block the 45th President of the United States (ME!) from receiving detailed information pertaining to national security, a courtesy usually afforded to former presidents."

Trump also accused Biden of "not being trusted to handle sensitive information," citing the Justice Department's investigation into the Democrat's storage of classified documents, which, despite deciding not to prosecute, suggested Biden had poor memory. Trump added that he had already revoked the security clearances of over forty former intelligence officials whom he accused of interfering in the 2020 election to support Biden.

Since returning to the presidency, Trump has taken steps to revoke security clearances and protections of other senior officials associated with the Biden administration. In 2021, Biden halted Trump's receipt of classified intelligence briefings, marking the first time a former president had been denied access to such information, traditionally offered as a courtesy. Biden argued at the time that Trump could not be trusted due to his "erratic behavior," with Democrats accusing Trump of inciting the January 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot in the final days of his first term.