In a bold and highly consequential move, former President Donald Trump has ordered the revocation of security clearances for a number of high-profile political figures and Biden administration allies, including current and former officials who have been publicly critical of him or have played central roles in legal efforts against him.
Among those stripped of their clearances are New York Attorney General Letitia James, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, and former Secretary of State Antony Blinken, along with several unnamed senior officials with connections to the Biden administration or various legal inquiries surrounding Trump.
The decision, announced through a statement from Trump’s office and reinforced during a rally-style appearance before supporters, marks a sharp escalation in Trump’s increasingly aggressive response to what he describes as “weaponized government” and politically motivated investigations designed to derail his 2024 presidential campaign.
Trump took direct aim at Secretary Antony Blinken, who previously served as a top adviser to President Joe Biden and was appointed as Secretary of State in 2021. Blinken, who held high-level national security and foreign policy access, has come under fire from Trump and his allies for what they claim is his role in advancing globalist policies and for his alleged involvement in suppressing the Hunter Biden laptop story ahead of the 2020 election.
“Antony Blinken is not someone who should be anywhere near classified information,” Trump declared in his remarks. “His loyalty is to the global elite, not the American people. Under my administration, we’re putting America First again — and that means putting the security of our nation above politics.”
Trump also criticized the handling of classified materials under the Biden administration, claiming that numerous officials have misused their access to confidential documents for political ends.