Along with intensifying his effort to demolish the US humanitarian organisation tasked with aiding the world’s needy and expanding American influence globally, US President Donald Trump has revoked his predecessor Joe Biden’s security clearance in a barrage of fresh directives, reports RTE.
In a new round of quick-fire power manoeuvres, the 78-year-old billionaire also appointed himself director of the Kennedy Centre, one of Washington’s finest cultural institutions, and suspended funding to South Africa, the country where his biggest contributor, Elon Musk, was born.
“There is no need for Joe Biden to continue receiving access to classified information,” Mr. Trump stated on his Truth Social network, adding that he was stopping the Democrat’s daily intelligence briefings and “immediately” rescinding his security clearances, reports RTE.
Mr. Trump cited a report last year by Special Counsel Robert Hur that characterised Joe Biden as a “well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory” in the same post on Truth Social.
At the time, Mr. Biden said that his recall was good, reports RTE.
Additionally, according to Mr. Trump, Mr. Biden instructed the intelligence agency to prevent him from seeing national security information throughout his tenure in government.
Shortly after assuming office in 2021, Mr. Biden told CBS that he did not think Mr. Trump should be able to get intelligence briefings because to his “erratic behaviour” and his fear of information sharing, reports RTE.
Donald Trump said that Joe Biden “set this precedent in 2021” when he revoked his security clearance.
“I will always protect our National Security – JOE, YOU’RE FIRED,” he added, reports RTE.
Even after they leave office, US presidents are customarily entitled to intelligence briefings.
Additionally, Mr. Trump intensified his attacks on USAID, the US Agency for International Development, which disburses money across the world.
Since Mr. Trump started a campaign to reduce or eliminate large portions of the US government, spearheaded by Mr. Musk, the richest person in the world, USAID has been under the most intense criticism, reports RTE.
Photos of USAID’s signs being taken down from its Washington offices were published by Mr. Musk, who, along with Mr. Trump, has disseminated flagrantly inaccurate information on the organization’s finances.
The Trump administration has ordered thousands of foreign-based staffers to return to the United States, suspended foreign funding, and started reducing USAID’s 10,000-person workforce to just 300, reports RTE.
Labour groups are contesting whether the assault is lawful. The administration’s intention to place 2,200 USAID employees on paid leave over the weekend was halted by a federal judge.
About $70 billion, or a very small portion of total spending, is set aside in the US budget for overseas aid, reports RTE.
However, it receives a lot of value for the money.
In its fight for influence against competitors like China, USAID alone operates health and emergency programs in around 120 nations, including the world’s poorest areas, reports RTE.
“We are witnessing one of the worst and most costly foreign policy blunders in US history,” said Samantha Power, the former president Joe Biden’s USAID head, in a harsh opinion article published in the New York Times.
Hard-right Republicans and libertarians have long opposed what they claim is unnecessary foreign spending and questioned the necessity of USAID, reports RTE.
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