President Donald Trump is once again making headlines. This time for launching official investigations into two of his former appointees and revoking their security clearances. In a pair of executive orders signed on April 9, Trump directed the Department of Justice to investigate Chris Krebs and Miles Taylor. Two former officials who openly criticized his claims of election fraud after leaving office.
The move marks a sharp escalation in Trump’s ongoing attempts to discredit those who publicly opposed him. Especially when it comes to the integrity of the 2020 election.
Chris Krebs, the former head of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), was fired by Trump in 2020 after he rejected false claims of widespread voter fraud. Krebs had previously stated that, “in every case of which we are aware, these claims [of fraud] either have been unsubstantiated or are technically incoherent.”
Now, Trump is seeking further retaliation. According to the executive order, Krebs is being investigated for allegedly abusing his authority while in government. With Trump labeling him a “bad-faith actor” who supposedly weaponized his role. The order also revoked Krebs’ security clearance and extended that revocation to any of his current coworkers at cybersecurity company SentinelOne.
In response, SentinelOne issued a statement confirming their compliance with the government’s review process. “We will actively cooperate in any review of security clearances held by any of our personnel. Currently less than 10 employees overall,” the company stated, adding that they don’t expect any impact to their operations.
Miles Taylor, another former Trump administration official, is also facing the president’s wrath. Taylor, who served as chief of staff to then-Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen. Became one of Trump’s most prominent internal critics. Initially anonymous, Taylor publicly revealed himself in 2020 as the author of a book and op-ed describing Trump as unfit to lead.
Trump’s latest action accuses Taylor of leaking classified information and officially strips him of any remaining security clearance. The move adds to a pattern of post-administration retaliation, as Trump continues to target those who have spoken out against him.
And the crackdown doesn’t stop there.
On the same day, Trump signed a separate executive order aimed at curbing legal access for law firm Susman Godfrey. The firm famously represented Dominion Voting Systems in its defamation lawsuit against Trump allies, including Rudy Giuliani. The new order imposes restrictions on how the firm can engage with future government contracts. Signaling another blow in Trump’s ongoing legal and political battles tied to the 2020 election.
These sweeping executive orders appear to be part of a broader strategy to silence dissenters and punish perceived betrayal—using the powers of the presidency to revisit old feuds.
As the 2024 campaign season intensifies, Trump’s focus on past grievances shows no signs of fading. Instead, it’s fueling a new wave of political tension with legal implications for those who dared to challenge his narrative.
