In a significant move targeting past and present government officials, the Trump administration has removed the security clearances of 37 national security figures. The announcement, made by US Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard, was detailed in a public memo and was carried out at the direction of President Donald Trump.
The DNI’s memo accused the individuals of a range of serious transgressions, including the manipulation and politicization of intelligence. The list of allegations also included the unauthorized release of classified information and the deliberate disregard for professional standards. In her memo, Gabbard said those who lost their status, “politicizing and manipulating intelligence, leaking classified intelligence without authorization, and/or committing intentional egregious violations of tradecraft standards”.
While the memo did not provide specific details for the alleged misconduct, it did contain the names of the 37 individuals. An examination of the list reveals that some of those affected had been involved in the 2017 intelligence analysis regarding Russia’s attempts to influence the 2016 presidential election. The group also reportedly includes former members of the national security council under the previous administration of Joe Biden.
Trump is getting rid of anyone who went against him
Some on the list were among the signatories of a 2019 letter that voiced concerns about President Trump’s conduct. That letter had been shared publicly on social media last month by right-wing activist Laura Loomer and indicated a long-standing worry among national security professionals about the president’s actions and their impact on the country’s safety.
Earlier in the year, President Trump had already revoked the security clearances of a number of prominent figures, including former President Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, former Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and other political opponents like Liz Cheney, Adam Kinzinger, and New York Attorney General Letitia James. He even called for an investigation into many of them.
Being entrusted with a security clearance is a privilege, not a right. Those in the Intelligence Community who betray their oath to the Constitution and put their own interests ahead of the interests of the American people have broken the sacred trust they promised to uphold. In… pic.twitter.com/23DUNuVAi0
— DNI Tulsi Gabbard (@DNIGabbard) August 19, 2025
Per the Guardian, the announcement was met with a sharp rebuke from Mark Zaid, an attorney specializing in national security matters whose own clearance was previously removed by the Trump administration. Zaid described the decision as a “pure politicization of security clearance process.”
He also said, “These are unlawful decisions that deviate from decades of precedent. Completely unprofessional that individuals are targeted in way that impacts their careers, yet they are not notified before leaking memo to friendly media.”
Zaid also noted an apparent error in the list, observing that one person named should have already had their clearance revoked by a prior Executive Order issued on Inauguration Day, suggesting a lack of coordination.
Not so surprisingly, Trump only needs to look back at his few months as president (I know, it feels longer) to find examples of defying and going against the Constitution, whether it is his drive to end birthright citizenship (which had to be blocked multiple times or misusing emergency powers.
