US President Donald Trump has announced his decision to revoke Joe Biden's security clearance and access to daily intelligence briefings. This action mirrors steps taken by Biden against Trump four years ago.
According to a recent post on his Truth Social platform, Trump stated there is no necessity for Joe Biden to continue receiving access to classified information. "JOE, YOU'RE FIRED," he declared, echoing his famous catchphrase from the reality TV show The Apprentice.
Trump has previously revoked the security clearance of over four dozen former intelligence officials. He accused these officials of interfering in the 2020 election to favor Biden. The revocation of Biden's clearance follows this pattern of rejecting access to classified information for those he perceives as political adversaries.
On Friday evening, Trump highlighted that Biden set a precedent in 2021 when he directed the Intelligence Community to prevent Trump from accessing details on National Security. This privilege is traditionally extended to former presidents as a courtesy.
Trump expressed distrust regarding Biden's handling of sensitive information. He referenced a Justice Department inquiry into Biden's storage of classified files. Although the inquiry decided not to press charges, it criticized Biden for poor memory. At the time, Biden rejected this characterization.
Since returning to office, Trump has taken steps to revoke the security clearances and protections of other top officials associated with the Biden administration.
In 2021, Biden denied Trump access to classified intelligence briefings, marking the first instance where an ex-president was refused such information. This decision was justified by concerns over Trump's perceived erratic behavior, particularly following the 2021 US Capitol riot. Democrats accused Trump of inciting this riot during the final days of his first term.
