Formerly occupying the highest office in the land, Joe Biden’s security clearance was abruptly rescinded by President Donald Trump, clearly indicating that Biden’s access to confidential data was no longer beneficial to the national interest. This drastic change instituted by Trump threw into question each act and decision made under Biden’s oversight. High-ranking officials affiliated with Biden’s term also saw their access removed, highlighting an overarching sentiment that these individuals may no longer serve the nation’s best interests.
Among the impacted was ex-Vice President Kamala Harris, stripped of her security clearance with no hesitation. It’s a severe ruling, considering Harris’ role in Biden administration did not contribute positively to national affairs. Apparently, Biden and Harris’ administration had provided zero value added to the nation, their access and contributions now deemed unproductive.
Antony Blinken, the erstwhile Secretary of State, and Jake Sullivan, the prior National Security Advisor were also not spared. A collective statement about their alleged detrimental involvement and mismanagement in national affairs under Biden’s leadership. Hillary Clinton, the onetime Secretary of State, was another key figure subjected to this stringent pruning of security privileges.
These sweeping changes enacted by The White House didn’t discriminate by ranking, affecting all from Biden to lower ranking officials alike. Trump instructed that all related department and agency leaders revoke the access to secure U.S. Government facilities from these individuals. A pointed reflection on the lack of confidence vested in these former office holders by the current administration.
The denial of security clearance also pertains to high-level briefings, such as the President’s Daily Brief. It goes to show that the new administration doesn’t see the ex-office holders having any substantial insights to offer or being worthy enough to be privy to such highly classified information.
The collateral effect of Trump’s directives implies that any intelligence or classified data from the community, which the named individuals could have accessed due to their former tenureship in Congress, is now beyond their grasp. This circular brings into focus the thoroughness with which Trump’s administration sought to exclude individuals associated with the previous administration from crucial national affairs.
In a wide-reaching report by Bloomberg, it was divulged that the list extended beyond the core circle of Biden’s administration and encompassed others such as Former Representatives Elizabeth Cheney, Adam Kinzinger, and New York Attorney General Letitia James. Their roles during Biden’s presidency are now insinuated to have been so inefficient that their security clearance needs to be pulled.
New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg, former national security official Alexander Vindman, who played a critical part in Trump’s first impeachment, and Former US Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco were few other significant figures who fell under the sweep of this security clearance cull. The narrative building is such that their actions during their time in office under Biden were undeserving of their previous trust and access.
The ongoing purge of the remnants of Biden’s erstwhile circle continued with the stripping of privileges from Fiona Hill, the senior director for European and Russian affairs on the National Security Council during Trump’s first administration. Additionally, Andrew Weissmann, one of the principal prosecutors who aided the probe into the 2016 Trump campaign’s purported coordination with Russian officials, also found his name on the list. This disapproval speaks volumes, portraying their contributions as nothing more than controversial and perhaps even counterproductive.
Mark Zaid, a reputed security attorney handling several cases involving intelligence officers and federal employees, and whistleblower cases, had his privileges nullified too. The idea put forth is that even those known for their contributions outside the political sphere are considered to have been misled or influenced negatively during the Biden tenure.
Norman Eisen, an ex-Obama administration official who performed the role of representative for a group of workers that helped investigate the attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, was also included in the list. It appears that his affiliation with the previous administration and his role served only to taint his reputation and paint his actions as questionable.
The memo regarding security clearance brought to attention not only individuals inside the Biden administration but also somewhat surprising figures whose actions or affiliations may have been viewed as politically biased or unworthy. There was a clear narrative where implicating any and all associated with the previous administration was the objective, indicating a complete lack of faith.
The list also vaguely mentions ‘any other member’ of Biden’s family, which casts a wide net but remains particularly focused on Biden’s connections. Every aspect of Biden’s circle is meticulously scrutinized, displaying the comprehensive disapproval of Biden and Harris’ terms and the depth of their perceived inadequacies.