WASHINGTON – The Biden government is considering withdrawing former President Donald Trump’s access to briefings just weeks after leaving the Oval Office.
White House spokesman Jen Psaki confirmed on Monday that President Biden’s national security team was reviewing Trump’s access when asked by a reporter if they were “continuing to extend the privilege” of classified information to Trump.
“That’s a good question,” Psaki said. “It’s obviously something that is being reviewed.”
Former presidents traditionally get intelligence briefings and access to classified information, but some Democratic critics of Trump have argued that he should not be trusted with state secrets following the deadly siege of the U.S. Capitol.
The same reporter pointed out to Psaki at Monday’s briefing on ‘concerns among some Democrats’ that Trump would either ‘abuse’ the information or use it to enrich himself. ‘
“There is no circumstance in this president having to get any more information, neither now, nor in the future,” House President Adam Schiff (D-California) told CBS ‘Face last month. the Nation “said.
“I do not think he can be trusted with it now and in the future, he certainly cannot be trusted,” he continued.
Eventually, the decision will come down to Biden.
White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain said in an interview last month that the new commander-in-chief would wait until an investigation by his national security advisers was completed before making a decision.
“We will definitely seek a recommendation from the intelligence professionals in the Biden government,” Klain told CNN’s Jake Tapper on State of the Union. ‘
“We will act on the recommendation,” he said.