The incumbent president has broken a long-standing tradition that former presidents are given access to some intelligence reports • "Trump is behaving erratically," Biden explained
President Biden and former President Trump // Photo: AP
US President Joe Biden has announced that he is breaking a long-standing tradition that past presidents have been given a briefing on security and intelligence briefings.
Biden noted that the reason for the move is that the former president is "unstable."
The president made the remarks to CBS News correspondent Nora O'Donnell after asking him if he would allow Trump access to White House intelligence briefings.
"No, I think not," Biden replied, "I do not believe he should have access to sensitive information, this is because of his unstable behavior, regardless of the events of the Capitol break-in."
"I prefer not to speculate as to what could happen out loud. I just do not think it is necessary for him to receive the briefings. What is the value of giving him any intelligence? What effect does he have at all, other than the fact that he can stumble on his tongue and say something?" Both.
According to American governing tradition, it is customary to update the former president on some of the intelligence transmitted to the White House and most of the retiring presidents in the twenty-first century held a small team in order to monitor what was happening in the country.
On Thursday, Trump announced that he would not appear to testify nor testify in the impeachment trial against him expected to take place this week in the Senate.
Trump is in the resort village he owns in Mar a-Lago, Florida and has so far refrained from engaging in political issues.