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WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has ramped up his initiatives to address perceived disloyalty among critics, signing two memoranda on Wednesday aimed at having the Justice Department look into the actions of former officials from his administration and suspending their security clearances.
His focus includes Miles Taylor, a former Department of Homeland Security official, and Chris Krebs, a former top cybersecurity official, as Trump attempts to wield presidential authority to respond to opponents and affiliated law firms.
On the same day, Trump moved against the law firm Susman Godfrey, illustrating his strategy to penalize any entities linked to prosecutors investigating him or employing lawyers he considers adversarial.
While Trump has previously sought to revoke security clearances from several critics, including former President Joe Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris, his latest orders for a comprehensive investigation into Taylor and Krebs signify a notable escalation in his campaign of retribution.
Taylor, who departed from Trump’s administration in 2019, later disclosed that he penned an anonymous op-ed in the New York Times, which was sharply critical of Trump, presenting himself as a member of a clandestine “resistance” within the White House. This controversial piece triggered a leak investigation during Trump’s presidency.
After publishing a book under the pseudonym “Anonymous,” Taylor revealed his identity shortly before the 2020 election.
Trump labeled Taylor a “traitor,” contending that Taylor’s commentary on confidential meetings amounted to espionage, even claiming, “I think he’s guilty of treason.”
In response, Taylor emphasized that dissent is a fundamental right and criticized Trump’s actions as indicative of a troubling trajectory for the nation.
Krebs, who Trump appointed to lead the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, faced Trump’s ire after he confirmed the security and integrity of the 2020 election results. Krebs has remained silent on the latest developments but previously expressed pride in his service in government.
Despite Trump’s insistence on widespread election fraud leading to his defeat, independent reviews and legal challenges have consistently debunked these claims, reaffirming President Biden’s victory through multiple recounts and audits. A number of judges, including those nominated by Trump, dismissed his legal challenges.
Experts have expressed concern regarding Trump’s actions, with former Justice Department attorney David Becker commenting on the unprecedented nature of a president investigating former appointees. He highlighted that Krebs’s assessments regarding election security were unchallenged at the time until after the votes were counted.
The law firm targeted, Susman Godfrey, previously represented Dominion Voting Systems in a significant lawsuit against Fox News, which falsely alleged election rigging. That suit concluded with Fox News agreeing to a hefty settlement to avoid trial.
Trump’s recent directive restricts the firm from using government resources or facilities, according to White House staff secretary Will Scharf.
Susman Godfrey responded to the order, asserting their commitment to uphold the rule of law and indicated plans to contest what they deem an unconstitutional directive.
In a series of similar actions, Trump has attempted to penalize various firms by revoking security clearances and federal contracts, with mixed results as some have settled while others pursue legal challenges against his orders.
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abcnews.go.com