President Donald Trump who is perceived to be angry with the Biden Harris administration has revoked the security clearances of his predecessor Joe Biden, including Kamala Harris and several senior former White House and national security officials.
The list of names stripped of their authorisation to see state secrets included Biden, his family members, and former vice president and Trump presidential rival, Harris.
Former secretary of state and defeated presidential candidate Hillary Clinton was on the list, along with Biden’s secretary of state Antony Blinken and national security advisor Jacob Sullivan.
Public reaction to such a drastic action may vary widely. Some may view it as an overreach that undermines government credibility, while others may support it as a means of holding the Biden administration accountable.
Revoking clearance for the sitting President and Vice President could have immediate national security repercussions, potentially limiting their access to critical information necessary for governance and crisis management.
In a memorandum to agency heads and distributed by the White House communications office, Trump said the named officials should no longer be allowed access to classified material.
“I hereby direct every executive department and agency head … to revoke any active security clearances held by the aforementioned individuals,” Trump said.
“I also direct all executive department and agency heads to revoke unescorted access to secure United States Government facilities from these individuals.”
Former US presidents and national security officials traditionally retain a security clearance as a courtesy, and some find it useful in seeking employment with private contractors.
But Trump, who has remained furious with his predecessor and lashes out frequently.
Trump was himself investigated for breaching security rules during the period between his first and second term in office, by storing classified White House documents in his Mar-a-Lago resort.
The investigation was wound up after Trump returned to office.
Many of the individuals on Trump’s list were high-profile political appointees of his Democratic predecessor, but former Republican lawmaker and vocal Trump critic Liz Cheney is also named.
Fiona Hill, a British-born intelligence analyst who served under both Democrat and Republican administrations, including as an advisor in Trump’s White House, is targeted.
She is joined by former colleague Alexander Vindman, a Kyiv-born retired senior officer in the US Army who fell foul of Trump after expressing concerns about White House contacts with Russia.
Other countries may perceive this as a destabilizing move, which could affect international relations. Allies might question the stability and continuity of U.S. leadership while adversaries could see an opportunity to exploit perceived divisions.
The hypothetical revocation of security clearances for President Biden, Vice President Harris, and senior aides by Trump brings forth a complex interplay of motives and implications across political, legal, national security, and public opinion dimensions. Each perspective reveals the potential consequences of such an act and raises questions about governance, accountability, and the sanctity of state mechanisms.
