On Wednesday, President Donald Trump escalated efforts to penalize his critics by signing two memoranda instructing the Justice Department to investigate two former officials from his first administration and revoking any security clearances they may hold.
The individuals targeted by President Trump include Miles Taylor, a former Department of Homeland Security official during Trump’s first term, and Chris Krebs, a former lead cybersecurity official. This move is part of Trump’s broader strategy to leverage presidential authority against adversaries, which also extends to certain law firms with connections to prosecutors who have probed Trump or employed attorneys opposing him.
The presidential directives on Wednesday also included punitive actions against the law firm Susman Godfrey. This action aligns with Trump’s efforts to target legal entities linked to prosecutors or attorneys he deems hostile.
Among the cadre of individuals stripped of security clearances at Trump’s behest are Joe Biden, the former President, and Kamala Harris, the former Vice President. However, the recent order to have the Justice Department investigate Taylor and Krebs indicates a further intensification of Trump’s retaliatory actions since his return to office.
Miles Taylor departed from the Trump administration in 2019 and was later revealed to be the author of an anonymous 2018 New York Times op-ed critical of Trump. The essay’s author described themselves as part of a covert “resistance” aiming to counter Trump’s “misguided impulses,” prompting a leak investigation during Trump’s initial tenure.
Ahead of the 2020 election, Taylor published a book under the pseudonym “Anonymous” and subsequently disclosed his identity. On Wednesday, Trump referred to Taylor as “like a traitor,” alleging that Taylor’s writings about confidential meetings were akin to espionage and accusing Taylor of treason. Taylor countered, arguing that dissent is neither unlawful nor treasonous, warning of a concerning path for America in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Chris Krebs, appointed by Trump as the director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, drew Trump’s ire after he confirmed the security and accuracy of the 2020 election results, which Trump lost. While Krebs did not provide a comment in response to the ongoing situation, he shared a previous message on X affirming pride in his service and maintaining that operations were conducted correctly.
Despite Trump’s unsubstantiated claims of being cheated out of the 2020 reelection victory due to widespread fraud, various evidence, recounts, reviews, audits, and judicial rejections, even from appointments made by Trump, have affirmed Joe Biden’s victory.
David Becker, a former Justice Department lawyer and coauthor of a book about Trump’s 2020 election falsehoods titled “The Big Truth,” described the investigation of his own administration and appointee as unusual. Becker highlighted that Krebs had consistently assured of the election’s security without initial objection from Trump, who only criticized Krebs post-election.
The law firm Susman Godfrey has been specifically targeted by Trump’s orders after representing Dominion Voting Systems in litigation against Fox News over false accusations regarding election manipulation, leading to a significant financial settlement by Fox.
The presidential order directed at Susman Godfrey restricts the firm from utilizing government resources or facilities, as reported by White House Staff Secretary Will Scharf. In response, Susman Godfrey asserted its longstanding commitment to the rule of law, stating it intends to contest what it describes as an unconstitutional order.
President Trump has been active in issuing multiple orders intended to penalize law firms, including suspending lawyers’ security clearances and rescinding federal contracts. Some firms have complied through settlements, while others are legally contesting the actions.
