Trump revokes Biden’s access to intelligence briefings

EghtesadOnline: Trump said on Friday that there was “no need” for Biden to keep his “security clearances” and that he was taking the action in response to his predecessor revoking his access to classified material after he left office.

“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,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social, Al Jazeera reported.

Trump also suggested that Biden could not be trusted with sensitive information after special counsel Robert Hur’s report on his predecessor’s handling of classified information described the Democrat’s memory as “fuzzy” and having “significant limitations”.

Hur, who declined to bring charges against Biden, said that the then-president struggled to remember key dates such as the death of his son Beau and his time as vice president.

Biden did not immediately comment, though some former officials of his administration hit out at the move.

US presidents do not require security clearances and have access to classified information by virtue of their position.

Former presidents have traditionally received intelligence briefings as requested, though access is provided at the sole discretion of the incumbent president and there is no formal security clearance process involved.

Shortly after taking office, Biden said that Trump should not have access to intelligence briefings due to his efforts to overturn the outcome of the 2020 presidential election, culminating in the January 6, 2021, riot at the US Capitol. / Mehr