Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has stripped several prominent political figures of their security clearances. The sweeping action targets some of the highest-profile Democrats in the nation as well as Republican critics of President Trump.
At a glance:
• Tulsi Gabbard has revoked security clearances for Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Hillary Clinton and other prominent figures
• The action was carried out under direct orders from President Donald Trump
• Former anti-Trump Republicans Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger also lost their clearances
• Alexander Vindman and Fiona Hill, who testified against Trump during impeachment proceedings, were included in the purge
• Signers of the Hunter Biden “disinformation” letter also had their access to classified information terminated
Trump Administration Takes Swift Action On Security Clearances
The Biden and Harris administrations no longer have access to America’s most sensitive intelligence information. Tulsi Gabbard, a former Democratic Congresswoman who now serves in the Trump administration, announced the decisive action on social media yesterday.
The move fulfills a campaign promise by President Trump to hold accountable those who have misused their positions and security clearances for political purposes. Gabbard’s announcement confirmed that former President Biden is no longer receiving the President’s Daily Brief, cutting him off from critical intelligence updates typically afforded to former Commanders-in-Chief.
Political Opponents And Critics Targeted In Clearance Purge
The list of individuals who lost their security clearances reads like a who’s who of Trump’s political adversaries. “Per @POTUS directive, I have revoked former President Joe Biden’s security clearance, and revoked clearances and access to classified information for Kamala Harris, Hillary Clinton, Liz Cheney, Adam Kinzinger, Fiona Hill, and Alexander Vindman,” Gabbard stated in her announcement.
A White House memo expanded on the reasoning behind these decisions, stating “I have determined that it is no longer in the national interest for the following individuals to access classified information.” The comprehensive list included Biden administration officials like Antony Blinken and Jacob Sullivan, as well as prosecutors involved in cases against Trump such as Letitia James and Alvin Bragg.
The revocations particularly targeted Republicans who opposed Trump following January 6, including former Representatives Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger. Both had served on the House committee investigating the Capitol events and had been vocal critics of Trump’s actions surrounding the 2020 election.
I don't know who needs to hear this…
But Trump isn't doing this for the fun of it or the optics.
He's doing this so targets of justice don't have access to federal classified systems to spy on the people who are about start making life extremely difficult for them. https://t.co/ZokdZMO7pt
— Brian Cates – Political Columnist & Pundit (@drawandstrike) March 28, 2025
Intelligence Community Figures Also Affected
Among the most significant aspects of Gabbard’s announcement was the revocation of clearances for individuals who signed the infamous Hunter Biden laptop “disinformation” letter. These former intelligence officials falsely claimed that the New York Post’s reporting on the laptop had “all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation.”
The letter, signed by 51 former intelligence officials just weeks before the 2020 election, was used by media organizations and tech companies to justify suppressing the Hunter Biden laptop story. The laptop’s contents have since been authenticated by multiple news organizations, confirming the legitimacy of concerns about the Biden family’s foreign business dealings that many Americans were prevented from learning about before casting their votes.
Fiona Hill and Alexander Vindman, who both testified during Trump’s first impeachment proceedings regarding Ukraine, also had their clearances revoked. Their testimony was central to Democrats’ unsuccessful attempts to remove Trump from office during his first term, an effort many Republicans viewed as politically motivated rather than based on genuine national security concerns.
