WASHINGTON | Joe Biden ruled on Friday that his predecessor Donald Trump should no longer receive confidential information communicated by US intelligence agencies, as is usually the case for former presidents, because of his “unpredictable” behavior.
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“I think he doesn’t need to receive the intelligence briefings. What sense does it make to brief him on the information? What impact does he still have, beyond the fact that he could slip away and say something? ” the new Democratic president said in an interview with CBS.
Joe Biden justified his position by the “unpredictable behavior” of the Republican billionaire, citing the “insurgency” of January 6. Supporters of Donald Trump then invaded the Capitol in Washington, after attending one of his vehement speeches to challenge his defeat in the November 3 poll. The violence, which took place just as Congress was to certify Joe Biden’s victory, caused five deaths.
Former presidents have traditionally had access to these intelligence notes, but some critics have voiced fears about Donald Trump, worried he might reveal information important to the country’s security.
Mr. Trump will be tried in the Senate from Tuesday for “incitement to insurgency”, after being indicted in January by the House of Representatives, with a Democratic majority, in the context of impeachment proceedings. He risks ineligibility if he is condemned by the senators.