Democrats Push Bill to Prevent Trump Receiving Pre-Election Security Briefings

A Democratic-sponsored bill is seeking to prevent Donald Trump from receiving classified information in the run-up to 2024 presidential election.

Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ) has drafted the Guarding United States Against Reckless Disclosures (GUARD) Act, which if passed would prevent the president, vice president, members of Congress, and federal candidates from accessing classified information if they face charges related to obstructing official proceedings, unlawfully retaining classified defense information, or engaging in activities as a foreign agent, alongside other criminal allegations.

Although the bill does not reference Trump by name, Sherill made no secret of the fact it was designed specficially for him.

Sherill said in a statement on Thursday:

As a Navy veteran and former prosecutor, I have zero tolerance for any betrayal of the public trust, especially when it comes to classified information and our national security. That’s why I’m extremely concerned about recent charges against Donald Trump and his continued desire to access sensitive classified information, despite reckless actions, and serious criminal charges.

Nobody is entitled or legally obligated to classified briefings — certainly not Trump, even if he is the Republican nominee for president. This legislation is urgent and should be considered by both parties as a necessary step to protect intelligence and ensure sensitive information doesn’t get into the wrong hands.

Presidential nominees are typically provided with classified information and security briefings in the run-up to the election. This is depsite the fact that Trump will have also been subject to countless reams of classified information over the course of his four years in the White House.

As part of their campaign of political persecution against the former president to try and prevent him winning a third consecutive election, federal prosecutors have charged Trump with a variety of crimes related to his alleged mishandling of classified documents.

These include willful retention of national defense information, concealing a document or record, conspiracy to defraud the United States and conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding. Trump has denied the all the charges and the case is unlikely to go to trial before the November election.