President Donald Trump announced Friday that he is revoking former President Joe Biden’s security clearance and halting his access to daily intelligence briefings. Trump said Biden’s precedent of blocking him from intelligence briefings in 2021, combined with concerns over Biden’s cognitive state, justified the decision.
“There is no need for Joe Biden to continue receiving access to classified information,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Therefore, we are immediately revoking Joe Biden’s Security Clearances and stopping his daily Intelligence Briefings. He 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.”
Trump told The New York Post that his decision was based on a lack of trust in Biden. “Because I don’t trust him. He’s not worthy of trust … To safeguard national security,” Trump said.
Biden previously revoked Trump’s access to intelligence briefings in 2021, saying Trump’s “erratic behavior” posed a risk. He argued at the time that there was no reason for Trump to receive classified information, stating, “What impact does he have at all, other than the fact he might slip and say something?”
The move also follows Special Counsel Robert Hur’s report on Biden’s handling of classified documents, which raised concerns about the 82-year-old’s memory. Hur described Biden’s cognitive state as “hazy,” “faulty,” and showing “significant limitations.” The report found that Biden had “willfully retained and disclosed classified materials” from his time as vice president, but Hur chose not to press charges, suggesting a jury might view Biden as a “sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.”
Trump referenced the report in his announcement, stating, “The Hur Report revealed that Biden suffers from ‘poor memory’ and, even in his ‘prime,’ could not be trusted with sensitive information. I will always protect our National Security—JOE, YOU’RE FIRED. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
Biden has not publicly responded to Trump’s decision. The move is part of a broader effort by Trump to reshape the federal government, including revoking security clearances for dozens of former intelligence officials who had signed a letter dismissing the Hunter Biden laptop scandal as potential “Russian disinformation.”
