President Trump said he would revoke former president Joe Biden’s authorization to access classified information while discontinuing daily intelligence briefings addressed to him.
Four years ago, after the attack on Capitol Hill by MAGA supporters, the newly elected President Biden took a similar measure against his Republican rival. A decision that Trump has never forgotten. Earlier in the week, the U.S. president announced: “There is no need for Joe Biden to continue receiving access to classified information. Therefore, we are immediately revoking Joe Biden’s security clearances, and stopping his daily intelligence briefings.”
“He set this precedent in 2021 when he instructed the intelligence community (IC) to stop the 45th president of the United States (me!) from accessing details on national security, a courtesy provided to former presidents” he wrote.
After the attack on Capitol Hill, Biden called the MAGA leader’s behavior “erratic,” stating: “I just think that there is no need for him to have the intelligence briefings. What value is giving him an intelligence briefing? What impact does he have at all, other than the fact he might slip and say something?”
In the post about the former Democratic president released on Truth, Trump also sharply criticized his rival’s cognitive abilities, referring to special counsel Robert Hur’s report describing Biden as a person with poor memory. Biden was investigated by Hur for his alleged mishandling of classified material after leaving the vice presidency, but prosecutors eventually ruled that the charges were not warranted.
“The Hur Report revealed that Biden suffers from ‘poor memory’ and, even in his ‘prime,’ could not be trusted with sensitive information,” Trump said on Truth Social. “I will always protect our National Security. Joe, You’re fired!”.
Trump’s decision to revoke Biden’s access to classified information follows somewhat similar steps taken by the federal administration against the Republican president’s “enemies.” Last week, the Pentagon revoked the security detail of former Chief of Staff General Mark Milley, also taking away his access to classified information. Trump’s move seems to be part of a larger plan of revenge against any measure or any individual that had crossed him during or after his term ended.
Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former National Security Adviser John Bolton were also hit with similar measures. In the recent past, the latter had criticized the MAGA leader on a few occasions.
