Donald Trump has revoked security clearances for several prominent Democrats, including former Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, and New York Attorney General Letitia James. This decision is part of the president's ongoing efforts to clamp down on his outspoken critics.
Trump's major move comes just hours after James managed to block Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from gaining access to the US Treasury's payment system on Friday. According to a New York Post report, other officials who have had their clearances removed include former National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, and lawyers Andrew Weissmann, Mark Zaid, and Norm Eisen.
Drawing Trump's Wrath
Former Trump attorney Tim Parlatore called the move "largely symbolic." However, those affected could face restrictions from entering federal buildings such as courthouses, prisons, and law enforcement facilities, potentially hindering their ability to perform their official responsibilities.
This action follows Trump's decision a day earlier to revoke Joe Biden's security clearance and access to daily presidential briefings.
"There is no need for Joe Biden to continue receiving access to classified information," Trump wrote on Truth Social on Friday.
He noted that the precedent for this action was set by the former president when Biden barred the intelligence community from granting Trump access to national security information.
Those affected by the decision may not be surprised, given their vocal opposition to Trump and his own promises to go after his critics.
Blinken is a "bad guy," Trump told The Post, adding that he planned to "take away his passes."
As former U.S. Secretary of State, Blinken played a key role in organizing the controversial "Dirty 51" letter, which was released just before the 2020 election and falsely claimed that Hunter Biden's laptop contents were Russian disinformation.
No Messing with Trump
Trump also has a deeply contentious history with Letitia James, stemming from the civil fraud case she filed against him last year, which resulted in a ruling requiring him to pay over $450 million. More recently, James has joined legal challenges against Trump's attempts to end birthright citizenship and halt federal grant programs.
Meanwhile, Alvin Bragg led the "hush money" case against Trump over payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels.
The president said that Bragg and James would face "exactly the same" consequences as Biden.
Among others targeted is Jake Sullivan, who previously served as Hillary Clinton's chief foreign policy adviser during her failed 2016 presidential bid.
Monaco appears to have been targeted for her role in overseeing the Justice Department's response to the January 6 Capitol riot.
Andrew Weissmann has also come under scrutiny due to his position as the lead prosecutor in Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Trump and alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election. Weissmann is also a frequent critic of Trump, often voicing his opposition during appearances on the liberal network MSNBC.
Meanwhile, both Mark Zaid and Norm Eisen were involved in Trump's 2019 impeachment proceedings.
