US President Donald Trump has revoked security clearance for several former top officials, including Vice President Kamala Harris, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and members of the Biden family, as well as a number of political critics and legal opponents.
The decision follows Trump’s February revocation of predecessor Joe Biden’s clearance, which was reaffirmed in the new directive.
Trump stated: “I have determined that it is no longer in the national interest for the following individuals to access classified information.”
Security clearance for former presidents and high-ranking officials are traditionally retained as a courtesy.
However, Trump’s order also directed federal agencies to terminate unescorted access to secure government facilities for the named individuals.
Among those stripped of their clearance are top Biden administration figures, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco.
Trump also removed security access for two ex-officials from his own administration—Fiona Hill and Alexander Vindman, both of whom testified against him during his 2019 impeachment trial.
Additionally, high-profile Republican critics Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger lost their clearance. Both were part of the House investigation into Trump’s role in the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack and voted in favour of his second impeachment.
Trump’s decision also affects legal figures who have pursued cases against him, including: Letitia James (New York Attorney General) who led multiple lawsuits against Trump’s businesses; Alvin Bragg (Manhattan District Attorney), who prosecuted Trump’s hush money case; Norm Eisen (Attorney), who spearheaded lawsuits against Trump’s federal workforce policies; Andrew Weissmann (Former federal prosecutor), who was part of an investigation into Trump during his first term; Mark Zaid (Whistleblower attorney), whi claimed he had not received formal notice despite being informed three times that his clearance was revoked.
Several individuals responded defiantly. Alexander Vindman dismissed the move, writing on X:”I don’t care what noises Donald Trump makes about a security clearance that hasn’t been active for five years.”
Meanwhile, Norm Eisen stated: “Being targeted by Trump just makes me file even more lawsuits!”
This is not the first time Trump has used security clearances as a political tool. He previously revoked access for over four dozen former intelligence officials, accusing them—without evidence—of interfering in the 2020 election in Biden’s favour.
Trump has defended his actions by pointing to Biden’s 2021 decision to deny him intelligence briefings, citing concerns about his “erratic behaviour.”
Biden himself has faced scrutiny over classified documents retained from his time as vice president, though a 2024 Justice Department report found he had fully cooperated with investigators.
Meanwhile, Trump was indicted in 2023 for allegedly mishandling classified documents, though the case was dismissed in July 2024 by a Florida federal judge. After Trump’s re-election, Special Prosecutor Jack Smith officially dropped the case in December 2024.
With this latest move, Trump has sent a clear message about his willingness to target political adversaries, potentially setting the stage for further legal and political battles in his second term.
