Trump Strips Biden and Harris of Security Access in Political Purge

President Donald Trump has revoked security clearances for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris targeting political foes. The late-night memo also hit other Democrats like Hillary Clinton and Antony Blinken in a sweeping move. Critics see it as a retaliatory strike echoing Biden’s 2021 ban on Trump’s own access.

Trump’s order named 15 figures including New York AG Letitia James who prosecuted him for fraud. It bars them from classified briefings a perk often extended to ex-officials as courtesy. The White House framed it as a national security call but offered no specific threats tied to those listed.

Biden had cut Trump’s clearance post-January 6 citing erratic behavior after the Capitol riot. Now Trump flips the script claiming his rivals can’t be trusted with secrets either. The tit-for-tat fuels fears of a government weaponized against dissenters on either side.

Former GOP reps Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger also lost access for probing Trump’s role in the 2021 attack. Both joined Democrats on the House January 6 panel drawing his lasting ire. Their inclusion hints at a broader net cast over anyone who’s crossed him politically.

Legal voices like Norm Eisen from Trump’s first impeachment landed on the list too. He called it a petty jab since his clearance lapsed years ago. Still the move stokes worries about silencing critics who once held sway in Washington’s halls.

Defenders say Trump’s just pruning dead weight from a bloated system of privilege. Critics counter it’s a chilling precedent for punishing free speech and past service. The debate splits along familiar lines with each camp digging in deeper.

National security experts note ex-leaders often advise on crises drawing on old briefings. Stripping that access could weaken U.S. readiness if Trump shuns Biden’s input down the road. For now it’s a symbolic flex aimed at settling scores not strategy.

The purge lands as Democrats regroup after Harris’s 2024 loss with Biden offering aid. Trump’s memo dims their influence further signaling a term bent on erasing his foes’ footprints. How far this grudge match shapes policy remains the looming question.