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Trump Pulls Security Clearances for Kamala Harris, Hillary Clinton

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during the 2024 White House Tribal Nations Summit, Dec. 9, 2024, at the Department of the Interior in Washington. (AP)
Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during the 2024 White House Tribal Nations Summit, Dec. 9, 2024, at the Department of the Interior in Washington. (AP)
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Trump Pulls Security Clearances for Kamala Harris, Hillary Clinton

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during the 2024 White House Tribal Nations Summit, Dec. 9, 2024, at the Department of the Interior in Washington. (AP)
Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during the 2024 White House Tribal Nations Summit, Dec. 9, 2024, at the Department of the Interior in Washington. (AP)

US President Donald Trump on Friday took away security clearances for former Vice President Kamala Harris, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and others in his latest move against his Democratic opponents.

The Republican president, who has also revoked the security clearance for former President Joe Biden, defeated Clinton in the 2016 presidential election and Harris in last year's election.

"I have determined that it is no longer in the national interest for the following individuals to access classified information," Trump said in a late Friday memorandum that also included former Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

While the revocations may not have immediate impacts, it is another sign of the growing political rift in Washington as Trump seeks revenge on his perceived enemies.

The memorandum was issued hours after Trump arrived at his Bedminster, New Jersey, golf property for the weekend.

Trump also targeted Republican former Representative Liz Cheney, a sharp Trump critic, former Biden White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan and Fiona Hill, a Russia expert who served on his National Security Council during his first term.

Mark Zaid, a national security lawyer in Washington who represents whistleblowers, and Adam Kinzinger, a former Republican lawmaker who is a sharp Trump critic, were among several others who had their security clearances revoked.

He had already revoked the security clearance for Biden, denying the former president to the traditional access to US intelligence.

Former US presidents have traditionally received intelligence briefings so they can advise incumbent presidents on national security and foreign policy.

In 2021, Biden revoked the security clearance for Trump, who was then a former president.

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US Issues Iran-Related Sanctions against China-Based Entities

A bronze seal for the Department of the Treasury is shown at the US Treasury building in Washington, US, January 20, 2023. (Reuters)
A bronze seal for the Department of the Treasury is shown at the US Treasury building in Washington, US, January 20, 2023. (Reuters)
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US Issues Iran-Related Sanctions against China-Based Entities

A bronze seal for the Department of the Treasury is shown at the US Treasury building in Washington, US, January 20, 2023. (Reuters)
A bronze seal for the Department of the Treasury is shown at the US Treasury building in Washington, US, January 20, 2023. (Reuters)

The US on Tuesday imposed sanctions on entities and individuals in Iran, the United Arab Emirates and China whom it accused of being part of an Iranian weapons procurement network, as President Donald Trump seeks to ramp up pressure on Tehran.

The US Treasury Department announced sanctions on six entities and two individuals in action taken in coordination with the Department of Justice, accusing them of responsibility for procurement of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) components on behalf of a leading manufacturer for Iran's drone program.

"Iran’s proliferation of UAVs and missiles - both to its terrorist proxies in the region and to Russia for its use against Ukraine - continues to threaten civilians, US personnel, and our allies and partners," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement.

"Treasury will continue to disrupt Iran’s military-industrial complex and its proliferation of UAVs, missiles and conventional weapons that often end up in the hands of destabilizing actors, including terrorist proxies."

Iran's mission to the United Nations in New York did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Tuesday's action targeted one Iranian-based entity and two people based in Iran, one entity based in China and four UAE-based entities, according to the Treasury statement.

The Treasury said it was the second round of sanctions targeting "Iranian weapons proliferators" since Trump restored his "maximum pressure" campaign on Iran, which includes efforts to drive its oil exports down to zero in order to help prevent Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon.

Trump's February memo, among other things, ordered Bessent to impose "maximum pressure" on Iran, including sanctions and enforcement mechanisms on those violating existing sanctions.

Trump threatened Iran on Sunday with bombing and secondary tariffs if Tehran did not come to an agreement with Washington over its nuclear program.

In his first 2017-21 term, Trump withdrew the US from a 2015 deal between Iran and world powers that placed strict limits on Tehran's uranium enrichment activities in exchange for sanctions relief. Trump also reimposed sweeping US sanctions.

Since then, Iran has far surpassed that deal's limits on uranium enrichment.

Western powers accuse Iran of having a clandestine agenda to develop nuclear weapons capability by enriching uranium to a high level of fissile purity, above what they say is justifiable for a civilian atomic energy program. Tehran says its nuclear program is wholly for civilian power purposes.