WASHINGTON – The Biden government is considering revoking former President Donald Trump’s access to intelligence instructions just weeks after he left the Oval Office.
White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki on Monday confirmed that President Biden’s national security team was reviewing Trump’s access when asked by a reporter whether they would “continue to extend the privilege” of confidential information to Trump.
“This is a good question,” said Psaki. “It is something that is obviously under review.”
Former presidents traditionally receive intelligence briefings and access to confidential information, but some Democratic critics of Trump have argued that he should not be trusted with state secrets after the deadly siege of the United States Capitol.
At Monday’s briefing, the same reporter pointed out Psaki to “concerns among some Democrats” that Trump would “misuse” the information “or use it to get rich.”
“There is no circumstance in which this president should receive another intelligence briefing, either now or in the future,” said President of the Intelligence Chamber, Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), To CBS’s “Face the Nation” at last month.
“I don’t think he can be trusted now and in the future, he certainly can’t be trusted,” he continued.
Ultimately, the decision will rest with Biden.
In an interview last month, White House chief of staff Ron Klain said that the new commander in chief would wait until a review was completed by his national security advisers before making any decisions.
“‘We will certainly seek a recommendation from the intelligence professionals of the Biden government,” Klain told CNN’s Jake Tapper in “State of the Union.”
“We will act on that recommendation,” he said.