President Donald Trump has decided to revoke security clearances for some familiar faces—including Kamala Harris, Hillary Clinton, members of the Biden family, and a host of other high-profile names.
The announcement comes after Trump’s earlier declaration in February about revoking Joe Biden’s clearance—a decision he doubled down on this time around while adding even more people to his “no access” list.
“I have determined that it is no longer in the national interest for the following individuals to access classified information,” read Trump’s memorandum. Translation? If you’re not Team Trump, your clearance might as well be canceled faster than HBO Max pulls a beloved show from its streaming service.
Who Made the List?
The roster reads like a who’s-who of political figures Trump has had beef with over the years—or at least those who didn’t RSVP yes to his MAGA-themed dinner parties. Among them are:
- Kamala Harris: Vice President under Biden, whose rise through the ranks seems to irk Trump endlessly.
- Hillary Clinton: Because apparently, losing one election wasn’t punishment enough; now she can’t peek at top-secret documents either.
- Joe Biden & Family: Not content with just targeting Joe himself, Trump threw shade at the entire Biden clan. One wonders if Hunter Biden’s laptop repair guy needs to return any sensitive files too.
- Antony Blinken: Former Secretary of State who probably wishes diplomacy came with fewer Twitter storms.
- Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger: Two Republicans who dared defy Trump during his impeachment trials. They must’ve known their loyalty would come back to bite them—but maybe they thought it’d involve cake rather than revoked clearances.
- Fiona Hill: A former Russia expert in Trump’s own administration who famously called out his antics during congressional hearings. Awkward!
Other notable names include Jake Sullivan, Lisa Monaco, Alvin Bragg, Andrew Weissmann, and Alexander Vindman—all individuals tied to investigations or policies critical of Trump’s tenure.
Oh, and let’s not forget Mark Zaid, the attorney known for representing whistleblowers. Clearly, being good at exposing corruption doesn’t win you brownie points here.
Why This Feels Personal
While presidents typically allow their predecessors and key officials to retain security clearances out of courtesy—and because it helps maintain institutional knowledge—Trump appears to view these clearances less as a matter of national security and more as personal favors.
Take, for instance, his 2021 accusation against over four dozen intelligence officials whom he claimed meddled in the 2020 election without providing evidence. That sounds suspiciously similar to how someone accuses their neighbor of stealing Wi-Fi when all they really want is better internet speeds.
And speaking of accusations without proof, remember when then-President Joe Biden barred Trump from receiving intelligence briefings in 2021? Biden cited concerns over Trump’s “erratic behavior,” which makes sense considering Trump once retweeted a GIF showing him wrestling a CNN logo to the ground.
Wrestling fake news may make great TV, but it’s hardly reassuring when handling classified info.
Internet Reactions: From Memes to Mockery
As expected, social media exploded with reactions ranging from memes comparing Trump’s memo to a toddler taking away toys (“You can’t play with my secrets anymore!”) to serious debates about whether this move violates norms or serves any legitimate purpose.
One X user joked, “At this rate, I’m surprised Trump hasn’t revoked gravity’s clearance.” Another quipped, “If he starts revoking air molecules next, I’ll finally believe we live in a simulation.”
Meanwhile, supporters argued that Trump was simply protecting national interests by denying potential leakers access to sensitive material. Critics countered that the timing—coinciding with ongoing legal battles involving Trump—is awfully convenient. Coincidence? Or genius PR strategy? You decide.
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