World Today

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump shared on Friday his decision to “immediately” cut off former President Joe Biden’s access to intelligence information.

“There’s really no reason for Joe Biden to keep receiving classified information,” Trump stated in a post on Truth Social. “So, we are revoking Joe Biden’s Security Clearances right away and halting his daily Intelligence Briefings.”

Biden’s office didn’t respond with a comment on Friday night.

It’s important to note that presidents don’t actually have security clearances; instead, the intelligence community provides the president with materials across all levels of classification.

Former presidents typically still receive intelligence briefings when they are consulted about events from their time in office.

In a CBS News interview a month after the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack, Biden expressed that Trump shouldn’t have access to intelligence briefings, citing Trump’s “erratic behavior unrelated to the insurrection.” His remarks were in response to whether Trump should receive those briefings.

“I really don’t see the need for him to have those briefings. What benefit does it bring to give him an intelligence briefing?” Biden added. “What influence does he have at all, except for the chance that he might accidentally reveal something?”

Trump’s announcement also comes amid ongoing discussions about his own legal challenges. He was charged in June 2023 for allegedly mishandling classified materials after leaving office, a charge he pleaded not guilty to, and a Florida judge appointed by Trump later dismissed the case. While the Biden administration sought to appeal the judge’s ruling, Trump’s administration dropped that appeal just days into his second term, closing the chapter on the case.

In his Friday post, Trump pointed out Biden’s earlier comments, mentioning that Biden “set this precedent in 2021.”

He also referenced a report from former special counsel Robert Hur, who noted in a 2024 report that Biden had a “poor memory.”

Hur’s remarks were part of his decision not to prosecute Biden concerning classified documents.

“We also thought that, if it went to trial, Mr. Biden would likely come across to a jury as a sympathetic, well-meaning elderly gentleman with a poor memory,” the report indicated.

Last month, Trump made headlines by moving to revoke the security clearances of 50 former intelligence officials, a step that legal experts have labeled as unprecedented.