Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has officially revoked security clearances for 51 intelligence officials who signed a letter dismissing Hunter Biden’s laptop as Russian disinformation, following President Trump’s direct orders to purge access for those who misled the American public before the 2020 election.
Key Takeaways
- Tulsi Gabbard revoked security clearances for 51 former intelligence officials who falsely claimed Hunter Biden’s laptop was Russian disinformation before the 2020 election
- Former President Biden has lost access to the President’s Daily Brief, cutting him off from sensitive intelligence information
- High-profile officials including Antony Blinken, Jake Sullivan, Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg, and former CIA Director John Brennan have all had their clearances stripped
- The revocations fulfill President Trump’s promise to hold accountable those who used their positions to interfere in the 2020 election
- Security clearances were also revoked for officials who pursued legal cases against Trump, including New York AG Letitia James
Swift Action Against Intelligence Community Deception
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has implemented President Trump’s directive to revoke security clearances for dozens of former intelligence officials who undermined the authenticity of Hunter Biden’s laptop prior to the 2020 election. The sweeping action targets 51 former officials who signed a letter suggesting the laptop story was part of a Russian information operation, despite having no evidence to support this claim. The laptop and its contents, including an email from a Burisma executive to Hunter Biden about meeting then-Vice President Joe Biden, have since been authenticated by multiple media organizations.
Gabbard announced the security clearance revocations via social media, confirming that in addition to the 51 letter signatories, several other high-profile officials have lost access to classified information. “Per President Trump’s directive, I have revoked security clearances and barred access to classified information for Antony Blinken, Jake Sullivan, Lisa Monaco, Mark Zaid, Norman Eisen, Letitia James, Alvin Bragg, and Andrew Weissman, along with the 51 signers of the Hunter Biden ‘disinformation’ letter,” Gabbard stated. “The President’s Daily Brief is no longer being provided to former President Biden.”
Biden Loses Presidential Intelligence Access
Among the most significant aspects of the security clearance purge is the termination of former President Biden’s access to the President’s Daily Brief (PDB), a highly classified intelligence summary typically made available to former presidents as a courtesy. Trump explained his rationale for cutting off Biden’s access to sensitive intelligence, citing Biden’s own precedent from 2021 when he denied Trump access to intelligence briefings. “There is no need for Joe Biden to continue receiving access to classified information. Therefore, we are immediately revoking Joe Biden’s Security Clearances, and stopping his daily Intelligence Briefings,” Trump wrote.
“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 continued, making clear he was responding in kind to Biden’s previous actions.
High-Profile Targets Face Consequences
The revocations extend beyond the intelligence community to include officials who pursued legal cases against Trump during the previous administration. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who prosecuted Trump and secured convictions on 34 felony counts related to falsifying business records, has had his security clearance revoked. New York Attorney General Letitia James, who sued Trump in 2022 alleging false financial statements and vowed to continue legal actions against him, has similarly lost her clearance.
“U.S. spy chief Tulsi Gabbard announced Monday she formally revoked clearances for a number of top Biden administration officials, following through on directives issued by President Donald Trump upon taking office,” reported Politico, noting that this move represents Trump using security clearances as a tool against those he considers political adversaries.
Notable figures affected include former CIA Director John Brennan and former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, both vocal critics of Trump who signed the Hunter Biden laptop letter. The revocations also extend to certain law firms that represented cases against Trump, including attorneys at Covington & Burling and Perkins Coie, further demonstrating the administration’s commitment to holding accountable those perceived as having worked against the president.
Broad Security Clearance Review
The security clearance revocations aren’t limited to Democrats and anti-Trump officials. Even some Republicans who have criticized Trump have lost their clearances, including former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, former aide Brian Hook, and former national security adviser John Bolton. This suggests a broader review of security clearances based on loyalty and trustworthiness rather than strictly partisan lines.
Trump has justified the revocation of Biden’s clearance by referencing concerns about Biden’s cognitive abilities, pointing to the Hur Report which raised questions about Biden’s memory and trustworthiness with sensitive information. The administration has framed these security clearance revocations as necessary measures to protect national security by restricting access to classified information from individuals who have demonstrated poor judgment or potential conflicts of interest.
While critics have labeled these actions as retaliatory or an abuse of power, supporters see them as President Trump fulfilling campaign promises to drain the swamp and hold accountable officials who used their positions to interfere in the democratic process. The revocations send a clear message that using intelligence credentials to spread misinformation or target political opponents will have lasting consequences.
