President Donald Trump has officially revoked former President Joe Biden’s security clearances and access to intelligence briefings, citing concerns over his cognitive abilities and national security risks. The decision comes as Trump moves to reshape intelligence policies and limit access to classified information for former officials.
The move follows a report from Special Counsel Robert Hur that raised questions about Biden’s memory and fitness, a factor Trump pointed to as justification for the revocation. Additionally, Trump referenced Biden’s own actions in 2021, when he restricted Trump’s access to intelligence briefings over concerns about “erratic behavior.”
This decision is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to reassess security privileges granted to former officials. In recent weeks, the administration has also stripped security clearances from dozens of ex-intelligence officers who had previously criticized Trump’s policies.
Biden has not yet publicly responded to the revocation, but his allies have criticized the decision as politically motivated. Meanwhile, intelligence officials have stated that such security access is traditionally granted to former presidents as a courtesy but is not required by law. As the political divide between past and present administrations deepens, the decision marks a rare and highly publicized break from standard protocol.