President Donald Trump has stripped former President Joe Biden of his security clearance less than a month after he left the White House.
“There is no need for Joe Biden to continue receiving access to classified information,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. “Therefore, we are immediately revoking Joe Biden’s Security Clearances, and stopping his daily Intelligence Briefings.”
Trump’s move, however, is not unprecedented. In February 2021, Joe Biden announced he would bar Trump from receiving the intelligence briefings traditionally given to former presidents. In his first television interview as president, he told CBS anchor Norah O’Donnell that Trump couldn’t be trusted due to his “because of his erratic behavior” which he said was unrelated to the Capitol riot.
O’Donnell pressed Biden on his stance, saying, “You’ve called him an existential threat. You’ve called him dangerous. You’ve called him reckless.”
“I have, and I believe it,” Biden responded. But when asked to share his “worst fear” about Trump receiving intelligence briefings, Biden declined.
Former presidents typically receive the briefings as both a courtesy and a resource should a sitting president seek their counsel. At the time, former Presidents Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama continued to receive them.
“I’d rather not speculate out loud,” Biden continued. “I just think that there is no need for him to have that intelligence briefing. What value is giving him an intelligence briefing? What impact does he have at all, other than the fact he might slip and say something?”
Pres. Biden sits down with @NorahODonnell for his first network interview since taking office.
Hear more from the president about his plans for tackling the coronavirus pandemic ahead of the Super Bowl, only on @CBS. pic.twitter.com/zg2rQhUeQo
— CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) February 5, 2021
Trump cited Biden’s actions in 2021 as precedent but also expressed legitimate concerns about Biden continuing to receive such briefings.
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“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 wrote. “The Hur Report revealed that Biden suffers from ‘poor memory’ and, even in his ‘prime,’ could not be trusted with sensitive information. I will always protect our National Security — JOE, YOU’RE FIRED. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
🎶 Hit the road Jack and don’t you come back no more! 🎶 pic.twitter.com/86fQf5naMK
— Steven Cheung (@StevenCheung47) February 7, 2025
Politics aside, I fail to see the justification for former presidents to retain security clearances after leaving office. Once their time in power ends, they no longer have a role in shaping national security policy, and access to classified intelligence serves no practical purpose.
But in Biden’s case, the concern goes beyond principle — it’s a matter of national security. Given his long history of using his political positions to benefit his family financially, allowing him continued access to sensitive intelligence creates a clear risk of exploitation. With numerous reports and investigations raising serious questions about his family’s foreign business dealings, cutting off his access to classified briefings isn’t just prudent — it’s necessary.
