President Donald Trump has said he will revoke Joe Biden’s security clearance, which includes access to daily intelligence briefings.
On a post on his Truth Social platform, the US leader wrote:
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“There is no need for Joe Biden to continue receiving access to classified information.” And he added with reference to his Apprentice TV show catch phrase: JOE, YOU’RE FIRED.”
BBC News reports that Trump was acting in retaliation to Biden taking the same measure on his own arrival in the White after the 2020 election, in which Biden cancelled Trump’s access. This was the first time a sitting president had made such a move to refuse a former president access. It has always been seen as a courtesy that previous leaders be kept informed of domestic and international topics.
In response to the move, Andrew Bates – former White House spokesperson during Biden’s term – told Deadline: “So, this is Trump’s plan for cheaper eggs? After breaking his top campaign promise to lower costs on ‘Day One,’ he’s instead busy cutting taxes for billionaires and targeting Americans who disagree with his agenda. It’s like he’s working for Elon Musk, not the American people.”
The BBC adds that Trump has already revoked security clearance of more than four dozen former intelligence officials whom he accused of meddling in the 2020 election which saw Biden triumph over him to reach the White House.
Trump wrote that Biden “set this precedent in 2021, when he instructed the Intelligence Community (IC) to stop the 45th President of the United States (ME!) from accessing details on National Security, a courtesy provided to former Presidents.”
And he added that Biden “could not be trusted with sensitive information.” Biden previously said Trump could not be trusted because of his “erratic behaviour.”
Biden has kept mostly out of the limelight since he stepped away from the presidential election in 2024, to be replaced by his vice-president Kamala Harris on the ticket.
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