Tulsi Gabbard, as Director of National Intelligence, announced on March 10, 2025, that she revoked security clearances for several individuals and groups, acting under a directive from President Donald Trump. The affected individuals include former Biden administration officials and others involved in legal or political actions against Trump, as well as 51 former intelligence officials linked to a specific controversy. Here’s a breakdown of whose clearances were revoked and the stated reasoning based on available information:
Whose Clearances Were Revoked?
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Named Individuals:
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Antony Blinken – Former Secretary of State under Biden.
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Jake Sullivan – Former National Security Adviser to Biden.
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Lisa Monaco – Former Deputy Attorney General, who oversaw prosecutions related to the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
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Mark Zaid – An attorney who represented a whistleblower in Trump’s first impeachment case.
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Norman Eisen – A legal commentator and former ambassador involved in anti-Trump legal efforts.
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Letitia James – New York Attorney General, who won a civil fraud judgment against Trump.
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Alvin Bragg – Manhattan District Attorney, who secured a felony conviction against Trump over a hush money scheme tied to the 2016 election.
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Andrew Weissmann – A former prosecutor involved in the Mueller investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
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Group:
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51 Former Intelligence Officials – These individuals signed a 2020 letter suggesting that the Hunter Biden laptop story, reported by the New York Post, bore hallmarks of Russian disinformation. Notable signatories included former DNI James Clapper and former CIA Director John Brennan.
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Former President Joe Biden – His access to the President’s Daily Brief, a courtesy typically extended to former presidents, was also terminated.
Reasoning Behind the Revocations
The revocations appear to stem from a combination of political retribution and a stated intent to address perceived abuses of power or breaches of trust, as directed by President Trump and executed by Gabbard. Specific reasons tied to each group include:
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Biden Administration Officials (Blinken, Sullivan, Monaco):
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These officials were key figures in the Biden administration, which Trump has accused of weaponizing government institutions against him. Gabbard’s announcement aligns with Trump’s broader campaign to limit the influence of his predecessor’s team, with the revocations framed as a response to their roles in policies or actions opposed by Trump.
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Legal Figures (James, Bragg, Zaid, Eisen, Weissmann):
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These individuals were directly involved in legal actions against Trump, including civil fraud cases, felony convictions, and impeachment-related proceedings. The revocation of their clearances is consistent with Trump’s stated intent to punish those he alleges “weaponized” the judicial system against him, as reported by outlets like CBS News and NBC News.
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51 Intelligence Officials:
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The revocation targets those who signed the 2020 letter about Hunter Biden’s laptop, which Trump and his allies have long claimed was an attempt to discredit legitimate information and influence the election. Gabbard’s move reflects a narrative that these officials misled the public, with Trump’s executive order earlier in 2025 directing a review of clearances for those involved in “inappropriate activity” related to this letter.
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Joe Biden:
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Ending Biden’s access to the President’s Daily Brief follows Trump’s February 2025 pledge to revoke Biden’s clearance, citing Biden’s suspension of Trump’s own briefings in 2021 and alleging Biden could not be trusted with sensitive information due to “poor memory.” Gabbard’s action formalizes this retaliatory measure.
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Context and Broader Implications
Gabbard’s announcement, made via a social media post on X, indicates these actions were carried out “per President Trump’s directive.” The move has been described as unprecedented by outlets like NBC News and POLITICO, highlighting the Trump administration’s use of security clearances as a tool to target political opponents. Critics, such as attorney Mark Zaid, have raised concerns about due process, referencing Executive Order 12968, which governs security clearance procedures, though Trump’s authority as president allows significant discretion in such matters.
This action is part of a larger pattern, as earlier posts on X from February 2025 suggest Gabbard also revoked clearances for over 100 intelligence officials involved in a separate NSA chatroom scandal, citing an “egregious violation of trust.” However, the March 10 announcement specifically focuses on the Biden-era officials and the Hunter Biden letter signatories, tying the revocations to Trump’s political grievances rather than solely administrative or ethical breaches.
In summary, the revoked clearances target a mix of former officials, legal adversaries, and intelligence figures perceived as having acted against Trump’s interests, with the reasoning rooted in retribution for their roles in legal cases, political opposition, or the Hunter Biden laptop controversy, as directed by Trump and implemented by Gabbard.
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