In a dramatic series of political maneuvers, former President Donald Trump has announced plans to strip several high-ranking Democrats of their security clearances—a move that has sent shockwaves through Washington. This unprecedented decision targets key figures in the current administration and appears designed to punish those aligned with policies Trump vehemently opposes.
Among those slated to lose clearance is Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, who once supported a letter signed by 51 former intelligence officials. This letter falsely labeled the Hunter Biden laptop story as Russian disinformation during the 2020 election, a claim that now seems to have provoked a severe response from Trump. The New York Post quoted him dismissively remarking, “Bad guy. Take away his passes.”
Other prominent figures reportedly affected by this action include former national security adviser Jake Sullivan, ex-deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, as well as attorneys Andrew Weismann, Mark Zaid, and Norm Eisen. According to reports, Trump is determined to target anyone he deems untrustworthy or aligned with a political agenda that undermines his vision for national security.
In a further escalation, Trump has also declared that Democratic New York Attorney General Letitia James and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg will be banned from accessing classified information or entering federal buildings. “This is to take away every right they have,” Trump stated, emphasizing that this step would effectively bar them from any federal premises. Such measures underscore his intent to weaken the influence of political opponents through the control of classified information.
The former president’s actions are part of a broader campaign he recently launched on his Truth Social platform. Earlier, he announced that he was halting daily intelligence briefings for President Joe Biden, citing concerns over the current president’s mental acuity. “There is no need for Joe Biden to continue receiving access to classified information,” Trump declared. He went on to announce the immediate revocation of Biden’s security clearances—a reversal that mirrors his own earlier experience when he was stripped of similar privileges by the incumbent administration.
In his pointed message, Trump recalled a precedent set in 2021 when President Biden had limited his access to national security details. “He set this precedent by instructing the Intelligence Community to stop the 45th President of the United States from accessing sensitive information,” Trump recalled, adding that such actions compromised national safety. His remarks continued with a forceful denunciation of Biden’s trustworthiness: “I don’t trust him. He’s not worthy of trust … To safeguard national security, decisive measures must be taken.”
