United States President Donald Trump has revoked the security clearances of several top political figures, including Vice President Kamala Harris and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
The decision also affects other former officials and critics of his administration.
In a memorandum, Trump stated, “I have determined that it is no longer in the national interest for the following individuals to access classified information.”
The security clearance revocation also applies to members of the Biden administration, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco.
Trump also withdrew access for prominent critics such as former Representatives Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, who played key roles in the House investigation into the January 6, 2021, attack on Congress.
Other figures affected include:
- New York Attorney General Letitia James, who led multiple lawsuits against Trump.
- Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who prosecuted Trump’s hush money case.
- Former officials Fiona Hill and Alexander Vindman, who testified in Trump’s first impeachment trial.
- Legal experts such as Norm Eisen and Andrew Weissmann, who have publicly criticized Trump.
Some of those affected responded on social media. Vindman wrote on X, “I don’t care what noises Donald Trump makes about a security clearance that hasn’t been active for five years.”
Eisen also commented, “Being targeted by Trump’s order just makes me file even more lawsuits!”
Mark Zaid, a whistleblower attorney also named in the order, told the BBC he had not received an official notice. He added, “Losing my clearance harms the federal employees, including Trump supporters, who count on me to handle cases few other lawyers could.”
Trump’s move comes after he previously revoked security clearance for Joe Biden in February. He claimed Biden set a precedent in 2021 when he blocked Trump’s access to intelligence briefings.
In 2024, a special counsel report found Biden had improperly retained classified documents but had cooperated with investigators. Trump, on the other hand, was indicted in 2023 for allegedly mishandling classified documents, but the case was dismissed in July 2024 after his re-election.
Trump’s latest order is seen as a continuation of his efforts to challenge his critics and political opponents.
