During his 2024 run for the presidency, Donald Trump declared his desire to use the military on United States citizens who disagree with him, demonizing these Americans as the “enemy within.” He would go on to repeat his baseless claims throughout his campaign, from describing “evil” Democrats as more dangerous than China or Russia to targeting his Democratic rivals and the press.
Since taking office, it appears that the president has been following through on his plan to retaliate against his opponents. Earlier this month, a Trump admin revoked security clearances for top officials from former President Joe Biden‘s administration including former Secretary of State Antony Blinken, former national security adviser Jake Sullivan, and former U.S. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, who oversaw the prosecution of rioters who attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
On Friday night, Trump escalated his revenge tour in a memo announcing that he had stripped security clearances and access to classified information for a lengthy list of adversaries. Among those named were former Vice President Kamala Harris, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Joseph R. Biden Jr. and “any other member of Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s family.”
“I have determined that it is no longer in the national interest for the following individuals to access classified information,” wrote Trump in his memo. “I also direct all executive department and agency heads to revoke unescorted access to secure United States Government facilities from these individuals. This action includes, but is not limited to, receipt of classified briefings.”
Others listed in Friday’s announcement included former Secretary of State Antony Blinken, former National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, and former representative Elizabeth Cheney. New York Attorney General Letitia James and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, top enforcement officials who battled Trump in court, were also stripped of their security detail.
On Monday, Trump said that Secret Service protection details assigned to Biden’s adult children were ending “immediately,” despite the former president extending the protection to July before leaving office.
This week, Americans have seen Trump and his allies continued to relentlessly take aim at core government agencies and perceived enemies. On Thursday, Trump’s interim Social Security chief threatened to stop the safety net program if Elon Musk and his so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) can’t access the non-anonymized sensitive personal information and data of hundreds of millions of Americans.
Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Wednesday attacked U.S. District Court Judge James Boasberg and his wife after Boasberg ordered the Trump administration not to deport Venezuelan migrants that the White House claimed were gang members.
On Friday, the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP (Paul Weiss) agreed to provide $40 million in pro bono representation to the Trump administration in order to avoid being punished by the president for representing his political opponents and defending laws and principles he has denounced. Many in the legal community viewed the firm’s decision a betrayal of the legal profession and efforts to hold Trump accountable for his myriad of alleged crimes.
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