Trump’s Striking Blow: Biden, Harris Left in Cold
On a bleary Friday night (March 21), the 45th president of the United States, Donald Trump, elicited shock and outrage amongst his political adversaries by issuing a presidential memo. Controversially, he abrogated the security clearances of a slew of political opponents – an unprecedented move perceived by many as a drastic escalation in his attempt to withhold critical information from those he perceives as foes.
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris found themselves amongst the erstwhile allies now left in the cold by Trump’s audacious move. Their security clearances were summarily revoked, leaving them blocked from accessing classified information — a privilege usually extended to former government officials as a testimonial of trust.
This sweeping directive also successfully scaled the high walls of the state department, ensnaring former Secretary Antony Blinken. Other casualties of Trump’s sweeping gag order included prominent Democratic figures such as Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, both erstwhile legislators and known adversaries of Trump.
Letitia James, the New York Attorney General noted for leading the civil fraud case against Trump, also saw her access to classified intelligence snapped away. Additionally, Trump’s directive indiscriminately stripped away the security clearances of all members of the Biden family, signaling a sharp veer from conventional norms and traditions.
Ironically, these norms typically extended access to intelligence to former figures of authority, maintaining a courtesy-laced continuity. However, this courtesy has, of late, not been extended to Trump by those in power, including President Biden.
The Director of National Intelligence previously had already pulled the plug on security clearances for selected individuals – an action that Trump only built upon. Tulsi Gabbard, DNI, was responsible for revoking clearances of 51 former intelligence officials, who publicly questioned the authentic source of Hunter Biden’s laptop, labelling it as a potential piece of Russian subterfuge prior to the 2020 election.
Trump’s decision to truncate Biden’s access to intelligence briefings is widely perceived as a retribution shot across the bow, in answer to Biden withholding access to such briefings citing Trump’s ‘unpredictable behavior’ as the underpinning reason in 2021. An apparent tit-for-tat strategy that only fuels the already palpable tension.
Trump’s unconventional decision train didn’t stop there, as earlier that week he had also terminated Secret Service protection for Biden’s offspring, Hunter and Ashley. This unexpected move came as a consequence of reports revealing extravagant allocations of Secret Service agents to the Biden siblings – 18 for Hunter’s South African voyage, and 13 for Ashley.
The bold steps executed via the Friday night memo had a distinctive focus – it targeted individuals who, over the years, were deeply entwined in investigations and legal proceedings against Trump. Unsurprisingly, prominent names from the much-maligned House committee that investigated the notorious January 6 Capitol riot figured on the list. A particularly notable set includes vocal Trump outspoken critics, former Republican representatives Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger.
Trump’s memo left no room for misinterpretation; the proscription includes intelligence briefings, spanning the range from the President’s Daily Brief to all classified intelligence communiques within the intelligence community. This was clearly a proactive measure to stymie any potential exploitation of strategic information by his detractors.
As Trump embarks on his second term, his maneuvers indicate a clear intensification of political reprisal that seems to be his key modus operandi. National security clearances, traditionally considered a neutral territory, have become a heated trench in the partisan divide, deepening the chasm between political factions.
Exemplified by this recent spat, the Trump administration appears steadfast in eliminating any potential influencing capabilities of his nemesis — a seemingly cold calculated move expressly engineered to keep those he perceives to be ‘enemies’ at arm’s length.
With each passing day under Trump’s administration, the bitter political divide becomes more pronounced. His use of security clearance as a tool for political reprisal elucidates the extent to which he’d go to maintain supremacy. His recent actions call into question the very premise of unity within national administrative hierarchies.
Friday’s contentious directive expands the silhouette of Trump’s shadow following his infamous first term, as the ax swing seemingly rattles the very political harmony within the nation. Actions like these, executed with disregard for political decorum, simply further the underlying friction and deep structural political discord plaguing the nation.
In his ceaseless quest to retain control, Trump has undoubtedly upended several longstanding traditions, pushing the boundaries of presidential authority. But, whether it will pay off, remains a matter of speculation. For now, however, the Biden administration and its allies seem caught in a downward whirlwind, haplessly struggling to regain their footing in the face of continued adversity.