Trump Signed Orders Naming Two Critics, and One Left His Job a Week Later
Chapter 1 — Trump Put His Critics' Names in Presidential Orders
Chapter 2 — Trump Demanded Charges Before Prosecutors Had Their Answer
Chapter 3 — A Lawful Power Can Still Be Abused
1 · Trump Put His Critics' Names in Presidential Orders
1.1 — Trump's Order Faulted Krebs for Rejecting the Stolen-Election Claim
1.2 — Taylor Stepped Away From Consulting After the Second Order
Trump signed an order naming Christopher Krebs, a former official who had challenged him. It listed his rejection of the stolen-election claim among its accusations and also alleged censorship. Trump ordered any active security clearance held by Krebs revoked. He also ordered active clearances held by people at associated entities, including his employer, SentinelOne, suspended pending a review of whether those clearances were consistent with the national interest. A week later Krebs left the company, saying the decision was his own; SentinelOne expected no material business impact.
Similarly, Krebs, through CISA, falsely and baselessly denied that the 2020 election was rigged and stolen, including by inappropriately and categorically dismissing widespread election malfeasance and serious vulnerabilities with voting machines.
A companion order named Miles Taylor, alleged classified leaks, and directed agencies to suspend any active security clearances held by him or people at associated entities, pending review. Taylor told CBS News he stopped consulting because employing him could expose a company to scrutiny, and said Trump supporters threatened and doxxed him and his family after the order, including violent threats against his wife and baby daughter. He denied leaking classified material.
2 · Trump Demanded Charges Before Prosecutors Had Their Answer
2.1 — Trump Named His Targets and Said Why
2.2 — A Trump Appointee Resisted, and Lost His Job
Asked whom the Justice Department should target over disclosures about the Russia investigation, Trump named Obama and other former officials and said it was time to go after people. The same day he declared Adam Schiff guilty of mortgage fraud. A Fannie Mae review described possible occupancy misrepresentation; NBC News reported, citing four people familiar with the inquiry, that prosecutors lacked enough evidence to charge him. The allegation warranted scrutiny; it did not warrant the President treating guilt as settled.
after what they did to me, and whether it's right or wrong, it's time to go after people.
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Todd Gilbert, a Republican Trump appointee, judged the evidence insufficient for a grand jury investigation of the Russia investigators. DOJ leaders demanded that he replace his deputy, who was demoted; senior DOJ officials suspected Gilbert was still primarily consulting him, then gave Gilbert a firing ultimatum, according to the New York Times account reproduced by Talking Points Memo. He resigned, and his deputy later left.
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3 · A Lawful Power Can Still Be Abused
3.1 — The Strongest Defense Is Executive Authority
3.2 — The Repeated Conduct Is an Abuse of Public Trust
Presidents have broad authority over investigations and executive personnel, and courts give prosecutors considerable discretion. A critic can also commit a crime: Bolton pleaded guilty to one classified-information count. ABC News reported that career prosecutors investigated the Bolton case and that it began before Trump took office. These protections do not answer whether Trump abused public power against dissenters.
Trump's signed orders reached critics' associates, and his Justice Department pushed out a prosecutor who resisted. Congress can judge misuse of public power as an abuse of public trust.
Full Source Index
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