In a significant development, U.S. President Donald Trump has revoked the security clearances of several top aides associated with President Joe Biden.
According to multiple reports from U.S. media on Saturday, Trump made the decision to strip former Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other Democratic officials of their access to classified information and federal facilities.
In an exclusive interview with the New York Post, a pro-Trump right-wing tabloid, Trump described Blinken as a \\"bad guy\\" and stated his intention to remove his security passes. This action effectively bars Blinken from accessing sensitive national security data.
Trump announced that he plans to take similar actions against seven other Democrats, including Jake Sullivan, former national security adviser to President Biden and chief foreign policy adviser to Hillary Clinton during her 2016 presidential campaign.
The targeted individuals also include New York Attorney General Letitia James, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, and Biden's Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, all of whom have been involved in various investigations related to Trump.
Last Friday, Trump removed Biden's own security clearances, discontinuing his daily intelligence briefings. He criticized Biden for setting a precedent in 2021 by instructing the intelligence community to exclude Trump from accessing national security details, a courtesy typically extended to former presidents.
Upon taking office in 2021, Biden expressed concerns about Trump's \\"erratic behavior\\" and the potential risk of him disclosing sensitive information, leading to the decision to limit his access to intelligence briefings.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
