President Donald Trump announced on Friday, February 7, 2025, that he is revoking former President Joe Biden’s security clearance and access to daily intelligence briefings. The move follows a decision Biden made in 2021 when he denied Trump the same access shortly after taking office.
Trump shared the announcement on his Truth Social platform, stating that Biden no longer needed access to classified information. He argued that the precedent had been set by his predecessor and framed his decision as a measure to protect national security. His post included a direct reference to his well-known catchphrase from The Apprentice, declaring, “JOE, YOU’RE FIRED.”
The decision comes amid ongoing discussions about Biden’s handling of sensitive materials. Trump referred to findings from Special Counsel Robert Hur’s investigation into Biden’s storage of classified documents. While the probe concluded that criminal charges were not warranted, it highlighted issues with Biden’s memory. The report noted that Biden struggled to recall key moments from his past, including when his son, Beau, passed away and his own tenure as vice president. Trump used this assessment to justify his decision, asserting that Biden should not have access to sensitive intelligence.
Biden has not yet responded to Trump’s decision. His talent agency, which recently signed him, has also not issued a statement. In 2021, Biden defended his own decision to strip Trump of intelligence briefings, citing concerns over his behavior and potential security risks. He questioned what value Trump would gain from the briefings and expressed concerns that Trump might inadvertently disclose classified information.
Since returning to office, Trump has not limited security revocations to Biden. He has also taken action against several high-profile officials connected to the previous administration. General Mark Milley, the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and a vocal critic of Trump, has had his security clearance revoked. The new Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, has additionally ordered a review of Milley’s conduct.
Other former officials impacted by Trump’s decision include Anthony Fauci, who led the U.S. response to COVID-19. Trump has also withdrawn security protections for former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former National Security Adviser John Bolton.
Additionally, Trump has targeted former intelligence officials who signed a 2020 letter questioning reports about Hunter Biden’s laptop, suggesting the story was a Russian disinformation campaign. Two former CIA directors involved in that letter have now had their security clearances revoked under Trump’s directive.
The decision to remove Biden’s access to intelligence briefings raises broader questions about the long-standing practice of providing former presidents with such updates. While historically a courtesy, it has become a source of debate in recent years.
Trump framed his decision as a matter of national security rather than political retaliation, citing Biden’s earlier action in 2021. Whether Biden or other affected officials will challenge the revocations remains unclear. The move, however, highlights the ongoing political tensions between the current and former administrations as Trump continues to shape security policies in his second term.
Image is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license and was created by Gage Skidmore.
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