United States President Donald Trump has announced that he is revoking Joe Biden’s security clearance and access to daily intelligence briefings, citing a precedent set by Biden four years ago when he took similar action against Trump.
“There is no need for Joe Biden to continue receiving access to classified information,” Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform. “JOE, YOU’RE FIRED,” he added, referencing his famous catchphrase from the reality TV show *The Apprentice*.
Trump has already revoked the security clearances of more than four dozen former intelligence officials, accusing them of interfering in the 2020 election to benefit Biden. In a post on Friday evening, Trump stated that Biden “set this precedent in 2021, when he instructed the Intelligence Community to stop the 45th President of the United States (ME!) from accessing details on National Security, a courtesy provided to former Presidents.”
Trump argued that Biden “could not be trusted with sensitive information,” pointing to a Justice Department inquiry into Biden’s handling of classified files. The inquiry ultimately decided not to press charges but noted that Biden had a poor memory. Biden rejected this characterization at the time.
Since leaving office last month, Biden has largely stayed out of the public eye and did not immediately respond to Trump’s comments. In 2021, Biden became the first president to deny a former president access to classified intelligence briefings, a tradition typically extended as a courtesy. Biden justified the decision by citing Trump’s “erratic behavior,” even before the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, which Democrats accused Trump of inciting during the final days of his presidency.
“What value is giving him an intelligence briefing?” Biden said at the time. “What impact does he have at all, other than the fact he might slip and say something?”
Since returning to office, Trump has taken steps to revoke the security clearances and protections of several top officials linked to the Biden administration. Among those affected is former top US military commander Mark Milley, a vocal critic of Trump. The new Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, has also ordered an investigation into Milley’s “conduct” and a review of his military grade.
Trump has also revoked the security detail of Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former chief medical adviser to the president who led the US response to COVID-19. Trump described the decision as “very standard,” explaining that it was not feasible for everyone who worked for the government to retain security protection for life.
Additionally, Trump has ordered the revocation of security clearances for dozens of former intelligence officials, including two ex-CIA directors. These officials had signed a letter in 2020 suggesting that reports about a laptop belonging to Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, were part of a Russian disinformation campaign.
However, the laptop was later confirmed to be genuine, and its contents, which included controversial details about Hunter Biden’s private life and business dealings, sparked significant scrutiny.
