CNN
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In a memo late at night, President Donald Trump directed federal agencies to revoke security clearances for more than dozens of his perceived political enemies, including former vice president Kamala Harris and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
“I have determined that it is no longer in national interest for the following individuals to access the classified information,” Trump said in a memo. “I hereby direct all enforcement departments and agents to take all additional steps consistent with existing laws to revoke the aggressive security clearances held by the aforementioned individuals and immediately revoke access to classified information.”
This memo applies to categorized briefings and accesses that are categorized based on information that individuals are categorized based on previous tenure in Congress.
The move presents the latest example of Trump drawing security clearance from his political rivals after the president “instantly” cancelled former President Joe Biden’s security clearance and stopped daily intelligence briefings in February. He also used similar rescues to crack down on top law firms.
Friday’s memo officially revoking Biden’s security clearance, blocking access to sensitive information on the former president’s family, along with several other memos that the Trump administration said had previously removed the clearance.
In addition to his democratic rivalry in the 2016 and 2024 elections, Trump also revoked permission from two Republicans on the House Committee that investigated the roles of the Rebellion, former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney and former Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger on January 6, 2021.
Earlier this month, Tulsi Gabbard’s National Intelligence Director said he had revoked security clearances for many people named in Friday’s memo in accordance with an order from Trump. Bragg.
In another late-night memo on Friday, Trump vowed to punish lawyers and law firms by revisiting past grims against lawyers who opposed him, withdrawing security clearances and canceling federal contracts they hold.
He either directed Attorney General Pam Bondy to consider the actions of lawyers and law firms that the administration believes have filed a frivolous lawsuit against the Trump administration, or tried to block immigration initiatives and expand the president’s crackdown on the US legal community.
This story has been updated with additional reports.
CNN’s Clay Voytek and Evan Perez contributed to this report.
