Published on March 22, 2025
This presidential memorandum directs executive departments and agencies to revoke security clearances and access to classified information from a specific list of high-profile individuals, including current Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Vice President Kamala Harris, President Joe Biden, and several other prominent political figures and their family members. The action explicitly bars these individuals from receiving classified briefings and accessing secure government facilities, extending to clearances granted through private sector employment.
The selective targeting of prominent political opponents, critics, and current administration officials suggests this action may be aimed at disrupting governmental operations and silencing potential whistleblowers rather than addressing legitimate national security concerns. The inclusion of broad language regarding Biden family members and the lack of specific justification for each individual's clearance revocation indicates this may be a political tool designed to consolidate power and impede the current administration's ability to function effectively while simultaneously limiting access to potentially damaging information by those who might expose wrongdoing.
While framed as a national security measure, this memorandum appears to be a calculated move to neutralize political opposition and handicap the current administration's ability to govern by severing access to crucial intelligence and secure facilities. The sweeping nature of the revocations, combined with the specific targeting of individuals known for oversight or opposition roles, suggests this action prioritizes political retribution over national security interests.
MEMORANDUM FOR THE HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES SUBJECT: Rescinding Security Clearances and Access to Classified Information from Specified Individuals I have determined that it is no longer in the national interest for the following individuals to access classified information: Antony Blinken, Jacob Sullivan, Lisa Monaco, Mark Zaid, Norman Eisen, Letitia James, Alvin Bragg, Andrew Weissmann, Hillary Clinton, Elizabeth Cheney, Kamala Harris, Adam Kinzinger, Fiona Hill, Alexander Vindman, Joseph R. Biden Jr., and any other member of Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s family. Therefore, I hereby direct every executive department and agency head to take all additional action as necessary and consistent with existing law to revoke any active security clearances held by the aforementioned individuals and to immediately rescind their access to classified information. I also direct all executive department and agency heads to revoke unescorted access to secure United States Government facilities from these individuals.This action includes, but is not limited to, receipt of classified briefings, such as the President’s Daily Brief, and access to classified information held by any member of the Intelligence Community by virtue of the named individuals’ previous tenure in the Congress.In the event that any of the named individuals received a security clearance by virtue of their employment with a private entity, the United States Government entity that granted the security clearance should inform the private entity that these individuals’ ability to access classified information has been revoked. This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.