President Donald Trump has revoked security clearances from several left-leaning lawmakers and officials, including New York Attorney General Letitia James, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, and former Secretary of State Antony Blinken, among others.
Shortly after rescinding President Biden’s security clearance and access to classified intelligence briefings, Trump has turned his focus to one of Biden’s former top aides, Antony Blinken. In the weeks leading up to the 2020 election, Blinken disseminated a misleading memo asserting that the controversial Hunter Biden laptop was part of a “Russian disinformation operation.”
A total of 51 former intelligence officials endorsed this letter, which was utilized to justify the suppression of the story on social media platforms, while mainstream media outlets referenced it to assert the narrative that the explosive story was false. All individuals who signed the letter have similarly had their security clearances revoked and lost access to secure U.S. federal facilities.
Blinken’s security clearances will also be annulled, consistent with the presidential directive affecting Biden and the 51 former intelligence officials. “Bad guy. Take away his passes,” Trump remarked about Blinken in an interview with the New York Post.
“This action is intended to strip them of every right they possess [by revoking security clearances], including access to [federal] buildings,” the president further stated. New York Attorney General Letitia James and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg will also be included in the group of eight Democratic lawmakers and operatives who will be denied access to classified information and barred from federal facilities. The president informed The Post that they will receive “the exact same punishment” as Biden and the 51 intelligence officials for their involvement in election interference and mishandling classified information.
For Bragg and James—both of whom have pursued questionable, politically motivated prosecutions against Trump—this action is largely anticipated to be symbolic.
Attorney Bob Costello, a former federal prosecutor in Manhattan who provided testimony in defense of Trump during Bragg’s hush money trial, remarked, “It is more of an affront and a direct challenge than an actual deterrent.”
In addition to the three officials previously mentioned, Jake Sullivan, who served as Biden’s National Security Advisor and was instrumental in formulating the discredited Russian collusion narrative, will also have his security clearances revoked. Similarly, Lisa Monaco, Biden’s former Deputy Attorney General and a significant figure in the Russian collusion narrative as well as the unjust prosecutions of January 6 protesters, will face the same consequence.
Other individuals targeted include Andrew Weissman, the lead prosecutor in Special Counsel Mueller’s investigation into Russian collusion, attorney Mark Zaid, who represented several anti-Trump government officials, and Norm Eisen, who served as special counsel to the Democrat-led House Judiciary Committee during the impeachment proceedings.
