Just the women? Not Biden too?
Non-American here. Shouldn’t private citizens be stripped of this as soon as they leave their position in government? What is the normal amount of time that people like these would retain clearance?
Former presidents, vice presidents, secretaries of state, etc. receive briefings because until recently they served as a kind of private advisory board to presidents and their successors. It was also, in a worst-case scenario, about continuity of government: if a nuke drops on DC, Obama could step in temporarily to help lead a transitional government.
Of course, Trump and his cabinet don’t need advisors because they’re all geniuses who know everything.
I know this violates “norms” but honestly it seems like small potatoes. Like, maybe being a former holder of public office shouldn’t grant you access to secure information. Why does GW Bush, or Bill Clinton, or Biden, or Obama, or Harris need a security clearance as private citizens?
In a functional world, previous office holders could do their limited duty and give up to date advice to the decision maker.
Presuming this is still a functional world, Trump doesn’t see a scenario where he would trust their advice. So he’s following your point of reducing the need to know list.
Wonder what he’s trying to hide this time.
Ironic, because he just let Elon Musk attend a top secret Pentagon meeting about War Plans with China. But really, this is theater, typical petty Trump and has no real impact on anything.
