President Biden said on Friday that he would bar his predecessor, Donald J. Trump, from receiving intelligence briefings traditionally given to former Presidents, saying that Trump could not be trusted because of his “erratic behaviour” even before the January 6 attack on the Capitol.

The move was the first time that a former President had been cut out of the briefings, which are provided partly as a courtesy and partly for the moments when a sitting President reaches out for advice. Currently, the briefings are offered on a regular basis to Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama.

Biden, speaking to Norah O’Donnell of CBS News, said Trump’s behaviour worried him “unrelated to the insurrection” that gave rise to the second impeachment of Trump.

“I just think that there is no need for him to have the intelligence briefings,” Biden said.

“What value is giving him an intelligence briefing?” Biden added. “What impact does he have at all, other than the fact he might slip and say something?”

New York Times News Service