President Donald Trump escalated his campaign of retribution on Wednesday, signing two memorandums directing the Justice Department to investigate a pair of former officials from his first administration and stripping them of any security clearances they may still hold.
The move targets Miles Taylor, former Department of Homeland Security official, and Chris Krebs, Trump’s former top cybersecurity adviser.
In response to Trump’s remarks, Taylor issued a statement on X: “I said this would happen. Dissent isn’t unlawful. It certainly isn’t treasonous. America is headed down a dark path. Never has a man so inelegantly proved another man’s point.”
Why It Matters
The move marks an intensification of Trump’s efforts to use presidential power to punish critics and perceived enemies.
Associated Press
What To Know
Taylor, who served at DHS until 2019, was later revealed as the anonymous author of a 2018 New York Times op-ed that described a quiet internal “resistance” to Trump’s most “misguided impulses.” The op-ed sparked a leak investigation and widespread fury within the first Trump White House. Taylor later published a book under the pen name “Anonymous” and revealed his identity just days before the 2020 election.
Krebs, whom Trump appointed to lead the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, was fired after declaring the 2020 election to be secure and rejecting Trump’s claims of widespread voter fraud.
Newsweek reached out to Krebs via SentinelOne, a cybersecurity business, where he’s chief intelligence and public policy officer.
Trump has continued to falsely insist that the 2020 election was stolen from him, despite evidence to the contrary. Courts—including those with Trump-appointed judges—dismissed dozens of legal challenges, and recounts and audits across key battleground states confirmed President Joe Biden’s victory.
In a separate move Wednesday, Trump also took action against law firm Susman Godfrey, which represented Dominion Voting Systems in its high-profile defamation lawsuit against Fox News. That case resulted in an $800 million settlement. Trump’s order bars the firm from accessing federal buildings or resources.
Associated Press
What People Are Saying
Trump said during a brief Oval Office signing ceremony, “This is about accountability. Referring to Taylor, he added, “He was like a traitor … Writing about confidential meetings—that’s like spying. I think he’s guilty of treason.”
Krebs wrote in a December 2020 Washington Post op-ed, “The 2020 election was the most secure in U.S. history. This success should be celebrated by all Americans, not undermined in the service of a profoundly un-American goal,” he added.
Former Republican Congresswoman Liz Cheney posted to X on Wednesday: “In a special mix of incompetence and evil, Trump has combined his disastrous implementation of 1930s tariff policies with Stalinesque targeting of political adversaries. The 2020 election wasn’t stolen and speaking the truth is only a crime in countries ruled by tyrants.”
What Happens Next
The latest actions follow a string of orders by Trump targeting law firms and individuals involved in investigations or legal actions against him, including revoking security clearances and suspending federal contracts. While some have settled, others are mounting legal challenges, setting the stage for a broader legal and constitutional clash.
Update: 4/9/25, 8:52 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with Cheney’s post.
