The President of United States of America, Donald Trump ordered federal agencies to revoke the security clearances of more than a dozen individuals he considers political adversaries, including former Vice President Kamala Harris and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
According to a memo obtained by CNN, Trump stated that allowing these individuals continued access to classified information was no longer in the national interest. He instructed all relevant agencies to take immediate steps to revoke any active security clearances and block access to classified materials.
The directive also targeted former members of Congress and officials from previous administrations who had access to sensitive information during their tenure.
“I have determined that it is no longer in the national interest for the following individuals to access classified information,” Trump said in the memo. He ordered all executive departments and agency heads to take necessary action to enforce the revocations in line with existing laws.
The move follows Trump’s earlier decision to strip former President Joe Biden of his security clearance and daily intelligence briefings.
Additionally, the memo confirmed the removal of clearances for key figures involved in the investigation of the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, including former Republican Representatives Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, both members of the House committee that examined Trump’s role in the attack.
CNN reported that Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard had already revoked security clearances for several individuals mentioned in the memo, including former Secretary of State Antony Blinken, former National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, and legal figures such as New York Attorney General Letitia James and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
In a separate directive issued the same evening, Trump expanded his crackdown to legal professionals and law firms that opposed his administration. He instructed Attorney General Pam Bondi to review the actions of attorneys who had filed lawsuits against him, particularly those challenging his immigration policies.
