President Donald Trump escalated his campaign against critics from his first administration by signing two official memoranda on Wednesday, directing the Department of Justice to investigate two of his former officials and remove any security clearances they may hold.
The officials in question are Miles Taylor, who served at the Department of Homeland Security, and Chris Krebs, former chief of cybersecurity. Trump’s recent actions illustrate his strategy of utilizing presidential powers to retaliate against his adversaries, including certain legal firms that have either been involved in his investigations or employed his perceived opponents.
On the same day, Trump also took action against the law firm Susman Godfrey, a tactic he has employed against firms associated with prosecutors investigating him. This move follows previous orders where he has revoked security clearances from several of his political enemies, such as former President Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, who served as vice president.
The decision to broaden an inquiry into Taylor and Krebs’ activities marks a significant escalation in Trump’s post-presidency retribution campaign. Taylor, who resigned in 2019, was later identified as the author behind a 2018 anonymous opinion piece in The New York Times that criticized Trump. The op-ed described an internal “resistance” aimed at curbing Trump’s policies, triggering a leak investigation. Taylor later released a tell-all book anonymized as “Anonymous,” revealing his identity just before the 2020 presidential election.
Trump has labeled Taylor’s actions as deeply disloyal, equating his exposure of confidential meetings to espionage. “I think he’s guilty of treason,” Trump asserted. Taylor, defending his stance, argued, “Dissent isn’t unlawful. It certainly isn’t treasonous. America is headed down a dark path.”
Krebs, whom Trump appointed as director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, became a target after he reassured the public of the 2020 election’s integrity, a stance that angered Trump. Krebs has not publicly commented, but he did retweet a previous message that stated, “Honored to serve. We did it right.”
Despite evidence against Trump’s claims of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election, he has maintained these allegations. Recounts and audits have consistently validated President Biden’s victory, and legal challenges by Trump, including those he filed, have been repeatedly dismissed by courts.
David Becker, a former lawyer for the Justice Department, remarked, “It’s bizarre to see a president investigate his own administration and his own appointee.” Becker highlighted that Krebs consistently communicated election security assurances during 2020, with Trump only becoming critical after the election outcome.
Trump’s recent order targets Susman Godfrey, a law firm that represented Dominion Voting Systems in a high-profile lawsuit alleging misinformation by Fox News regarding the 2020 election outcomes. Fox News eventually settled the lawsuit with a near $800 million payment. According to White House staff member Will Scharf, the memorandum forbids Susman Godfrey from utilizing government buildings or resources.
In their defense, Susman Godfrey issued a statement emphasizing their commitment to the rule of law and their intention to counter the presidential order. “There is no question that we will fight this unconstitutional order,” the firm declared.
Trump has enacted several directives aimed at penalizing firms, including the suspension of security clearances and canceling federal contracts. While he has managed to secure some concessions from those who settled, other entities are rigorously contesting these orders in court.