President Donald Trump has ordered the revocation of security clearances for a group of officials and lawyers who have been critical of him and his administration. This move came after former President Joe Biden had revoked Trump’s security clearance following the end of his term. One of the individuals targeted, national-security lawyer Mark Zaid, vowed to fight the revocation, while lawyer and think-tank founder Norm Eisen promised to challenge the Trump administration in court.
Trump targeted several officials, including former Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who was blamed by the House Judiciary Committee for organizing a letter that criticized reporting on Hunter Biden’s laptop. Trump also targeted New York officials, such as Attorney General Letitia James and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who have taken legal action against him.
Lawyers who have clashed with Trump, such as Zaid and Eisen, were also targeted by the revocation. Zaid, who represented the whistleblower in the investigation that led to Trump’s first impeachment, called the action a “Red Badge of Courage” and stated it would not deter him from holding the administration accountable to the rule of law. Eisen, who served as special counsel during Trump’s first impeachment, pledged to continue challenging the administration in court.
Overall, Trump’s decision to revoke security clearances has been met with defiance from the individuals targeted, who view it as a politically motivated action. The move is seen as an attempt to distract from legal challenges facing the administration and to silence critics.
