Highlights
- President Trump revoked Biden’s access to classified information immediately.
- Trump cited Biden’s 2021 decision to revoke his clearance as justification.
- A report by Special Counsel Robert Hur described Biden as having memory issues, which Trump referenced in his decision.
- Traditionally, former presidents retain access to classified intelligence, but Trump is breaking that norm.
- Both Trump and Biden have faced scrutiny over their handling of classified documents.
- This move adds to the ongoing political tensions between the two leaders.
President Donald Trump has announced that former President Joe Biden will no longer have access to classified intelligence, marking a major shift in the long-standing courtesy granted to former U.S. presidents.
Trump justified his decision by pointing to Biden’s 2021 move to revoke Trump’s access to national security details.
In a statement posted on Truth Social, Trump declared that Biden’s access would be terminated immediately, saying there was “no need” for the former president to continue receiving sensitive intelligence.
The statement did not clarify when Biden last received a classified briefing, and the White House has not yet commented on the matter.
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Biden Set the Precedent in 2021
Trump cited Biden’s own decision from 2021 as the foundation for his move. At that time, Biden revoked Trump’s access to national security briefings, citing concerns over Trump’s “erratic” behavior following the January 6 Capitol riot.
The Biden administration had argued that Trump’s continued access to classified intelligence could pose a security risk. However, intelligence officials stated that Trump could still request access, which would be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Now, Trump has flipped the situation, stating that Biden set the precedent and that it is only fair to apply the same standard to him.
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Trump References Biden’s Memory Issues
In explaining his decision, Trump also pointed to the recent findings of former Special Counsel Robert Hur, who investigated Biden’s handling of classified documents.
Hur’s report characterized Biden as a “well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory” and concluded that his retention of classified materials was not worthy of criminal charges.
Trump seized on these findings, arguing that someone with documented memory issues should not have access to sensitive national security information.
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A Break from Tradition
It has been a long-standing tradition for former presidents to retain access to classified briefings, allowing them to stay informed and occasionally advise sitting presidents on national security matters.
However, Trump’s decision to revoke Biden’s clearance marks a significant departure from this practice.
Biden himself initially expressed skepticism about granting Trump intelligence briefings after leaving office.
Despite this, once Trump secured the Republican nomination for the 2024 presidential race, he was granted access to classified briefings as part of standard protocol.
However, Trump later claimed he refused those briefings due to concerns that he could be falsely accused of leaking information.
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Ongoing Classified Documents Controversy
Both Trump and Biden have faced scrutiny for their handling of classified materials.
Trump was the first former president in U.S. history to be federally prosecuted for allegedly keeping classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago residence.
Prosecutors claimed he obstructed the Department of Justice’s investigation and even showed sensitive documents to individuals without security clearance.
However, after Trump returned to office in 2025, a judge dismissed the case, and the DOJ dropped the charges.
Biden, on the other hand, was found to have stored classified documents from his time as vice president in his Delaware home and a private office.
The DOJ’s investigation concluded that while Biden “willfully retained” classified materials, his actions did not warrant criminal prosecution due to his age-related memory lapses.
The report’s mention of Biden’s memory sparked a political firestorm, with his team pushing back against what they called “prejudicial language.”
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Political Ramifications
Trump’s decision to revoke Biden’s access to classified information is another escalation in the political tensions between the two leaders.
As the 2024 election season heats up, this move is likely to deepen partisan divides and fuel further debates over national security, presidential privileges, and political retribution.
The White House and Biden’s legal team have not yet responded to Trump’s decision. However, with Trump now in office for a second term, it remains to be seen whether more such reversals of past decisions will follow.
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