Trump Revokes Biden’s Access to Intelligence Briefings

President Donald Trump announced that he is revoking his predecessor Joe Biden’s access to intelligence briefings, Al Jazeera reports.

Trump said he was acting in response to Biden’s decision to end his access to classified materials after leaving office in 2021.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump cited Biden’s decision as setting a precedent, claiming Biden instructed the Intelligence Community (IC) to block him from accessing details on National Security.

Trump also raised concerns about Biden’s ability to handle sensitive information, referencing Special Counsel Robert Hur’s report on Biden’s handling of classified documents. The report described Biden’s memory as having “significant limitations.” Hur, who declined to press charges against Biden, noted that the then-president struggled to recall key dates, including the death of his son and his time as vice president.

Trump concluded his statement with a phrase from his former reality TV show, “JOE, YOU’RE FIRED.”

While US presidents do not require security clearances and have access to classified information due to their position, former presidents have traditionally received intelligence briefings upon request. Such access is at the discretion of the current president and does not involve a formal security clearance process.

Biden had previously stated Trump should not receive intelligence briefings due to his actions surrounding the 2020 election results and the January 6 Capitol riot.

Trump was later charged with four criminal counts over his efforts to cancel the results of the vote, including conspiracy to defraud the US and conspiracy against the rights of citizens, before prosecutors dropped the case along with several other prosecutions he was facing following his re-election.

Since entering office on January 20, Trump’s administration has revoked access to intelligence briefings for multiple critics and rivals. He has also canceled security details for former colleagues, including Mike Pompeo and John Bolton, following disagreements.