- The Trump administration, led by DNI Tulsi Gabbard, revoked security clearances for Biden-era officials, intelligence leaders, and legal figures accused of political witch hunts and election interference against Trump.
- Former President Biden is barred from receiving the President’s Daily Brief; affected individuals include Antony Blinken, Jake Sullivan, Letitia James, and signers of the Hunter Biden “disinformation” letter.
- The controversy stems from a 2020 letter dismissing Hunter Biden’s laptop as Russian disinformation, which suppressed the story before the election; Blinken is accused of orchestrating the debunked letter.
- Legal figures like Alvin Bragg and Andrew Weissmann, as well as Trump impeachment critics Mark Zaid and Norm Eisen, also had clearances revoked.
- The symbolic revocations aim to purge perceived corrupt actors, end “lawfare,” and restore trust in government institutions.
Not wasting any time, the Trump administration has revoked security clearances from a cadre of Biden-era officials, intelligence leaders, and legal figures accused of orchestrating political witch hunts and election interference against Donald Trump. The decision, announced by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, also bars former President Joe Biden from receiving the President’s Daily Brief, a classified intelligence report traditionally provided to former presidents. This bold action, described by Trump as necessary to “safeguard national security,” targets individuals he has long accused of weaponizing the intelligence and legal systems to undermine his presidency and the 2020 election.
The move comes as part of Trump’s broader effort to hold accountable those he believes have abused their power to interfere in U.S. elections and fabricate criminal cases against him. Among those stripped of their security clearances are high-profile figures such as former Secretary of State Antony Blinken, former National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, and New York Attorney General Letitia James. The decision also impacts the 51 signers of the infamous Hunter Biden “disinformation” letter, which falsely claimed that Hunter Biden’s laptop was part of a Russian disinformation campaign during the 2020 election.
The ‘spies who lied’ and their role in the hunter Biden laptop scandal
At the heart of this controversy is the so-called “Spies Who Lied,” a group of former intelligence officials who signed a letter in October 2020 claiming that Hunter Biden’s laptop—a device containing damning evidence of corruption and influence-peddling—was likely part of a Russian disinformation campaign. This narrative, amplified by major media outlets and the Biden campaign, effectively suppressed the story in the critical weeks leading up to the election. Antony Blinken, then a senior advisor to the Biden campaign, is accused of orchestrating the letter, which has since been thoroughly debunked.
“Bad guy. Take away his passes,” Trump told the New York Post in an exclusive interview, referring to Blinken. The revocation of Blinken’s security clearance is seen as a direct response to his role in what Trump has called “the greatest election interference in U.S. history.”
The Trump administration’s crackdown extends beyond the intelligence community to include key legal figures who have pursued cases against the former president. Among them are New York Attorney General Letitia James and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, both of whom have been barred from entering federal buildings. James brought a civil fraud case against Trump, accusing him of exaggerating his wealth in loan applications, while Bragg prosecuted Trump in the so-called “hush money” case.
“This is to take away every right they have [revoking security clearances], including they can’t go into [federal] buildings,” Trump said. The move is largely symbolic but serves as a powerful rebuke to what Trump describes as “lawfare”—the use of legal systems to target political opponents.
Also on the list is Andrew Weissmann, the lead prosecutor in Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s Russiagate investigation, which Trump has repeatedly called a “hoax.” Weissmann, now an MSNBC contributor, has been a vocal critic of Trump, often using his platform to malign the former president. Similarly, Mark Zaid, a lawyer who represented the whistleblower in Trump’s first impeachment, has had his security clearance revoked. Zaid, who once tweeted that it was “time for a coup” after Trump’s inauguration, has built a career opposing Republican administrations.
A broader purge of corrupt actors
The Trump administration’s actions are part of a broader effort to purge what it sees as corrupt actors from the intelligence and legal systems. Norm Eisen, a key figure in the anti-Trump legal efforts and a former special counsel to the House Judiciary Committee during Trump’s impeachment, is also among those targeted. Eisen, who has been a vocal critic of Trump, played a central role in the impeachment proceedings, which Trump has called a “sham.”
Lisa Monaco, Biden’s Deputy Attorney General, has also had her security clearance revoked. Monaco, who oversaw lawfare investigations against Trump and coordinated the DOJ’s response to the January 6 riot, is accused of helping orchestrate the Russia hoax during her time as an aide to President Obama.
While the revocation of security clearances and access to federal buildings is largely symbolic, it sends a clear message: the Trump administration will not tolerate what it views as the weaponization of government institutions for political gain. “It’s more an insult and a slap in the face than a real deterrent,” said Bob Costello, a former Manhattan federal prosecutor who testified as a defense witness in Trump’s hush-money trial. However, the move could have practical implications for some, such as Mark Zaid, whose legal practice relies heavily on his access to classified information.
The Trump administration’s decision to revoke security clearances and block access to classified information marks a turning point in the ongoing battle against the “Deep State.” For Trump, this is about more than retribution—it’s about restoring trust in the institutions that have been weaponized against him. By targeting those who have used their positions to undermine his presidency and interfere in elections, Trump is sending a clear message: the era of unchecked political persecution is over.
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