In a striking move, U.S. President Donald Trump has revoked former President Joe Biden’s security clearance, effectively cutting off his access to classified intelligence briefings.
“There’s no reason for Joe Biden to keep receiving sensitive information,” Trump announced via his Truth Social platform, declaring, “JOE, YOU’RE FIRED!”—a nod to his famous catchphrase from The Apprentice.
Traditionally, former U.S. presidents are granted continued access to intelligence briefings after leaving office. However, Trump justified his decision by pointing out that Biden himself had stripped his security clearance upon taking office in 2021. At the time, Biden cited Trump’s “erratic behavior,” particularly in the wake of the January 6 Capitol riots, as a reason for limiting his predecessor’s access to classified information.
Trump further claimed that Biden’s handling of classified documents, coupled with findings from a recent special counsel report that highlighted his memory lapses, made him unfit to receive intelligence briefings.
The move is part of Trump’s broader efforts to take action against political opponents, following reports that his administration has also revoked the security clearances of dozens of former intelligence officials.
