In a sweeping and highly controversial decision, President Donald Trump has revoked the security clearances of multiple prominent current and former government officials, including Vice President Kamala Harris, former Rep. Liz Cheney, and former President Joe Biden. The decision, which was announced on the official White House website, is being framed by Trump as a necessary step to “protect national security” — but it has already ignited a political firestorm.

“This is not a routine measure. This is a national security decision,” Trump said, explaining the revocations in a White House memorandum released on Friday.

The list of individuals whose clearances were revoked reads like a who’s who of political and legal opponents of the Trump administration. It includes Secretary of State Antony Blinken, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, former Special Counsel Andrew Weissmann, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, New York Attorney General Letitia James, Hillary Clinton, Adam Kinzinger, Fiona Hill, and Alexander Vindman — among others.

The move follows Trump’s earlier revocation of President Joe Biden’s security clearance and access to the President’s Daily Brief, a courtesy traditionally extended to former presidents. Trump’s team argues that Biden is a “national security risk,” citing findings from Special Counsel Robert Hur’s report that detailed Biden’s alleged memory lapses and mishandling of classified materials.

“There is no need for Joe Biden to continue receiving access to classified information,” Trump wrote previously on his Truth Social platform. “Therefore, we are immediately revoking Joe Biden’s Security Clearances, and stopping his daily Intelligence Briefings.”

The language in the new presidential memorandum is firm and unapologetic:

“I have determined that it is no longer in the national interest for the following individuals to access classified information… I also direct all executive department and agency heads to revoke unescorted access to secure United States Government facilities from these individuals.”

Trump further ordered that if any of the listed individuals had obtained security clearances through private sector employment, those clearances should also be flagged and potentially revoked.

The directive does not only target current officeholders or federal employees; it also singles out private citizens such as attorney Mark Zaid and legal analyst Norman Eisen. Notably, the entire Biden family is broadly referenced as ineligible to access classified materials.

The action has raised significant legal and ethical questions. Critics say it politicizes national security and sets a dangerous precedent. Former intelligence officials and legal experts argue that revoking clearances en masse, especially without individual assessments, undermines long-standing national security protocols.

However, Trump and his allies defend the move as both justified and reciprocal. The former president has repeatedly claimed that he was unjustly denied access to intelligence updates after President Biden assumed office in 2021 — a move Trump says Biden made “out of political spite.” In typical Trump fashion, he added, “JOE, YOU’RE FIRED.”

In referencing Biden’s alleged mental decline, Trump cited Hur’s report, which found that Biden exhibited “poor memory” and described him as “a well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.” Though Hur did not recommend criminal charges for Biden’s handling of classified documents, Trump and his supporters have used the findings to justify stripping Biden of his security access.

The broader implications of this order remain to be seen. Legal scholars question whether a sitting president has the unilateral authority to revoke clearances of elected officials such as the vice president or members of Congress. Others fear it could trigger retaliatory actions in the future, further politicizing access to national security information.

Meanwhile, the move has energized Trump’s base, with many cheering what they view as long-overdue accountability. On the other side, critics warn the move is authoritarian in nature and erodes institutional norms meant to protect the republic from the abuse of executive power.

As the 2024 election draws nearer and tensions between Trump and his political rivals continue to escalate, this latest action sends a clear message: Trump is willing to break precedent—and possibly norms of governance—in pursuit of what he claims is national security.

Whether this is viewed as strength or overreach may depend on which side of the aisle you’re standing on. Either way, the security clearance purge is one of the boldest—and most controversial—moves of Trump’s post-presidency political comeback.