In a move of retaliation against his political rival, former President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he is revoking Joe Biden’s access to intelligence briefings. Trump argued that there was “no need” for Biden to retain his “security clearances” and stated that his decision was a response to Biden having revoked his own access to classified materials when leaving office.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!In a post on Truth Social, Trump criticized Biden for setting the precedent in 2021 by denying him access to intelligence, claiming that the Democrat could not be trusted with sensitive information after special counsel Robert Hur’s report cast doubt on Biden’s memory and handling of classified documents.
Trump’s message echoed his trademark catchphrase from The Apprentice: “JOE, YOU’RE FIRED.”
White House communications director Steven Cheung shared Trump’s post, adding his own comment on social media, “Hit the road Jack and don’t you come back no more!”
The move has sparked criticism from some former Biden administration officials, who dismissed it as a distraction from more pressing issues, including inflation. Andrew Bates, former White House deputy press secretary, pointed out that the revocation would not address real-world concerns, such as rising egg prices.
While US presidents traditionally receive intelligence briefings, they are not formally required to have security clearances. Former presidents have generally been granted access to such briefings, though it is ultimately at the discretion of the current president.
Biden, who had previously expressed doubts about the value of Trump receiving intelligence briefings, declined to comment on Trump’s decision.
