Trump revokes security clearance for Kamala Harris, Hillary Clinton and others
By: Jaroslav Lukiv
A publicly known demonstration of the level of petty vindictiveness of an individual that Trump supporters have given the power of the presidency.
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
US President Donald Trump revoked security clearances from his previously defeated Democratic election rivals, Kamala Harris and Hillary Clinton,as well as a number of other former officials and critics.
Trump said in February he was revoking security clearance for his predecessor Joe Biden. His order confirmed that decision, adding that he was also revoking the security clearance of "any other member" of the Biden family.
"I have determined that it is no longer in the national interest for the following individuals to access classified information," Trump's memorandum read.
Former US presidents and top security officials usually keep their security clearance as a courtesy.
Trump ordered department and agency leaders to "revoke unescorted access to secure United States government facilities for these individuals."
"This action includes, but is not limited to, receipt of classified briefings, such as the President's Daily Brief, and access to classified information held by any member of the intelligence community by virtue of the named individuals' previous tenure in the Congress," the order stated.
For several named figures, the loss of access to classified material and spaces will have a more symbolic impact.
It may limit the materials they are able to review, or restrict access to some government buildings or secure facilities.
The lawyers and prosecutors named by Trump, however, could potentially face roadblocks in accessing or reviewing information for their cases or clients.
Trump's revocations focus on top Biden administration officials, as well as prominent political critics and attorneys who have challenged Trump or his allies in court.
Biden's secretary of state Antony Blinken, national security advisor Jake Sullivan, and deputy attorney general Lisa Monaco all lost their clearances.
Trump also targeted two of his own former officials from his first term: Fiona Hill and Alexander Vindman, who testified during his first impeachment trial that began in 2019.
Trump also revoked access for high-profile Republican critics, former Representatives Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger.
They were the only two Republican lawmakers who joined a US House investigation into Trump's role in the 6 January 2021 attack on Congress.
Both also voted to charge Trump in his second impeachment, which a Democratic-led US House of Representatives instigated after the riot. Trump was acquitted by the Senate on the charge of inciting the 6 January riot.
Trump has also singled out top legal opponents in his latest decision on security access. His order revoked clearance for New York attorney general Letitia James, who brought multiple lawsuits against Trump and his businesses.
Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg, who prosecuted and won Trump's criminal hush money case last year, also lost his clearance.
Trump's legal targets went beyond elected prosecutors. He withdrew security clearance for Norm Eisen, an attorney leading multiple lawsuits against the Trump administration's efforts to reduce the federal workforce.
Andrew Weissman, a former federal prosecutor who joined an investigation of Trump during his first term and later provided media commentary about the hush money trial, also lost his clearance.
Previous media reports had indicated that the administration had pulled the security clearance for a top whistleblower attorney in Washington, Mark Zaid.
Friday's order confirmed Trump had revoked his access.
Several of the individuals chosen by Trump derided his order in social media statements.
"I don't care what noises Donald Trump makes about a security clearance that hasn't been active for five years," Mr Vindman wrote on X.
Mr Eisen wrote on X that being targeted by Trump's order "just makes me file even more lawsuits!"
Trump had earlier pulled security clearances of more than four dozen former intelligence officials whom he accused of meddling in the 2020 election in Biden's favour. He provided no evidence for these claims.
In 2021, Biden - serving as president at the time - barred his defeated rival Trump from having access to intelligence briefings citing his "erratic behaviour".
A 2024 Justice Department special counsel report found Biden had improperly retained classified documents from his time as vice president. The report noted that Biden had cooperated with federal investigators and returned the discovered documents.
In 2023, Justice Department special prosecutor Jack Smith indicted Trump for allegedly mishandling classified documents following his first term in office and obstructing their return to the government.
Trump pleaded not guilty and a Florida federal judge dismissed the case in July 2024. Smith officially dropped the case that December after Trump won re-election.
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An endless stream of negative, irresponsible and/or stupid actions by this buffoon.
Removing Trump's intelligence briefings after he tried to steal the 2020 election is sensible. This is pure vindictiveness by a man-child.
Not to mention after he willfully kept possession of classified documents to which he was not entitled, risking national security.
I'm looking forward to the deportation of alleged maga criminals to 3rd world country prisons without the benefit of due process.
None of those documents risked national security.
And you know this how? Are you privy to their contents?
You're the one who mentioned it risked national security. Are you privy to their contents or simply parroting main-stream media?
You're right. I'm sure it was just cookie recipes or some "classified" shit like that.
As opposed to Newsmax or OAN?
Perhaps you'll accept information from the indictment itself. I mean, the Justice Department isn't "mainstream media", is it?
You can, if you're at all interested in knowing whether our national security was put at risk, rather than just reflexively arguing that it wasn't, start at page 32 at the above link. It won't format well for C&P. Military, including nuclear, capabilities, strategies, intelligence. No, I'm sure nothing there was of any concern at all.
And Trump has always handled such matters with the greatest of care. He didn't give Israeli intelligence to Russia, after all. Oh, wait...
This has been reported many times by many sources. Top Secret classified documents typically contain information that is closely held for national security reasons.
Why do you try to defend Trump? Is it not obvious that someone who takes classified (especially top secret) documents and then plays games to thwart efforts to secure the documents is being irresponsible with classified information? Do you condone this?
So we have a former PotUS who demonstrably tried to steal the 2020 presidential election through fraud, coercion, lying, and incitement. Something that has never happened in our history as a nation. A violation of his oath of office and an attempt to disenfranchise the electorate.
And on top of that, this individual thwarts efforts to return classified documents that he never should be secured by NARA.
And you attempt to dismiss Trump being a security risk??
trumpski and maga are providing the template for how they expect to be treated after their rein of unconstitutional domestic terrorism has been concluded by the voters. my elderly retired military uncle is literally suicidal over his past support of trumpski and maga.
There is no conceivable reason that any of these awful people need security clearances.
They have all proven themselves to be national security risks
Another comment that has no basis in reality and likely is just intended as a taunt.
Ultimately it does not accomplish anything other than reduce the credibility of the author.
Until now there were actually one or two things he has done that I think were good, such as support of Israel. Now his acting like a spoiled 12-year old bully baby has cancelled ANY acceptance I have ever had of him - IMO he has disgraced the Presidency of the United States of America and made your nation the laughing stock of the world. The world's diplomats won't openly indicate their disdain because as least THEY'RE mature. But I'd love to be a fly on the wall of where they have their private conversations. Imagine, falling from being the greatest nation in the world to the one most ridiculed in the world because of the child the majority of American voters wanted to lead them. Look where he has led you.
Clearly the worst PotUS this nation has ever had.
Even so, there are people who —in spite of the continuous stream of irresponsible / vindictive actions— still cling to him as some sort of superhero genius. It is sickening to behold.
I don't know if the tariffs he imposed on China are going to mean much to me, but he has even harmed me personally, even though I'm on the other side of the world, because his unfair and unjustified tariffs imposed on Canada have caused a depreciation of the value of the Canadian dollar, which means it converts to less Chinese yuan that I rely upon to survive here when I draw my monthly Canadian pension from an ATM here.
Well you are not one of the people who I want to feel the consequences of Trump.
We need Trump supporters to get a clue so that they stop supporting this buffoon. If they turn on Trump, so goes Congress and we get a check back on the power of the presidency.
Much ado about nothing.
The point is the petty vindictiveness of the person who has the power of the US presidency.
Along with unabashed mendacity it's what got "I am your retribution" elected.
maga loves revenge and retribution, unless they're the victims ...
Did you feel the same way when Biden stopped Trump's security briefings back in 2021?
It's silly to try to equate the two.
Trump was an identified security risk. He had already been shown to be careless with intelligence, and had clear vulnerabilities.
Biden didn't give intelligence from an ally to Russia just to show off.
And I'm sure you thought Trump was correct to block Biden from intelligence briefings during the transition from November 2020 until January 2021, for no reason other than pettiness over losing an election he has never been able to let go.
The typical cliche platitude whatabout bullshit in lieu of an argument.
Look at my post @1. I already addressed this:
-and-
Further, this is not limited to Biden. This is Trump being a vindictive man-child.
How do you NOT see Trump as a security risk?
No it's not silly. Yes Trump is reported to have been careless with intelligence, so was Biden. Biden had open boxes stored in his garage behind his corvette. There were classified records found in a closet at the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement. Not sure why some are so eager to forgive Biden for these things while they want Trump put into prison for it. Speaks of rank hypocrisy.
I never claimed Trump wasn't, but it's clear that you give Biden a pass.
Again with this utter nonsense! Biden cooperated with the safe return of the documents. Trump did NOT cooperate and even tried to conceal documents to prevent their safe return.
Trump did NOT cooperate; Biden did cooperate.
Trump tried to obstruct finding documents; Biden took the initiative to search for more documents.
You keep ignoring what Trump did once the documents were known. That is the difference.
Just amazing that after all Trump has done ... and especially what he is doing as PotUS, that you are still trying to defend this scoundrel.
Wrong. I have stated that both Trump and Biden (and Pence) were wrong to have those documents. I made this argument repeatedly when it was timely. And Trump supporters routinely ignore the fact that Biden was deemed wrong too and dishonestly put forth their strawman. On top of that, they conveniently ignore that Trump did NOT cooperate and tried to hide documents.
Trump went beyond what Biden and Pence did and did NOT cooperate and tried to hide documents so that they would not be found and taken from him. It was the lack of cooperation and the attempt to hide documents that caused him trouble.
Pathetic, dishonest, sickening defense of Trump.
Trump actively gave intelligence to Russian agents. Biden returned the documents as soon as he was asked about them, and didn't read them aloud to people who weren't cleared to have access to them. Not the same. You can keep trying to spin it that way if you want, but it will still be silly.
Not entirely true. Biden returned documents after the raid on Trump so it's reasonable to think that might have put a bit more concern to returning the documents And Biden did share classified documents with a ghostwriter for a book. That came out from the investigation by the Special Counsel. (bolding is mine)
So regardless of how you want to spin it, there's more similarity between the two than you want to admit.
Biden cooperated with the return and looked for more violations.
Trump did NOT cooperate and actively tried to hide classified documents from authorities.
Trump's lack of cooperation and his attempt to keep classified documents by hiding them is what triggered his criminal indictment.
Why do you continue to try to defend this scoundrel?
He doesn’t want anyone outside his inner circle to have access to any information he can control. This is typical for dictatorships/autocracies/kleptocracies.
narcissists rarely groom an heir to their throne ...