Trump targets critics from first term, orders DOJ to investigate ex-aides, accuses one of ‘treason’

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday (Apr 9) ordered the Justice Department to investigate two former members of his first administration — Miles Taylor and Christopher Krebs. He also accused one of them of “treason”.

Since taking office for the second time, Trump has targeted several former officials he views as political foes, but this is the first time he has directed the nominally independent Justice Department to open investigations into his political opponents.

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Who is Miles Taylor?

Miles Taylor is a former official at the Department of Homeland Security. In 2018, he wrote an opinion piece criticising Trump’s leadership under the pseudonym “anonymous”.

In the sensational opinion piece, he wrote that “the root of the problem is the president’s amorality,” and accused Trump of making “half-baked, ill-informed and occasionally reckless decisions.”

Later, he revealed his identity as the op-ed’s author and wrote a book titled “A Warning”.

Accusing Taylor of saying “all sorts of lies, bad things,” Trump, speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, said, “I think he’s guilty of treason if you want to know the truth”.

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“I think it’s like a traitor, it’s like spying…We’re going to find out whether or not somebody is allowed to do that.”

Taylor responded on X, saying, “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,” remarked Trump’s ex-aide.

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.

— Miles Taylor (@MilesTaylorUSA) April 9, 2025

Who is Christopher Krebs?

Trump also took aim at Christopher Krebs, who led the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency during the Republican’s first term as the POTUS. 

In 2020, Krebs was fired by Trump after he said that the 2020 election, in which Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump was the “most secure in American history” — something Trump strongly disputes.  

“He’s got a big price to pay,” Trump said.

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“This guy, Krebs, was saying, ‘Oh, the election was great. It was great,'” he said, adding “Well, it’s been proven that it was not only not great, it was a very corrupt election.”

“So we’ll find out whether or not it was a safe election, and if it wasn’t, he’s got a big price to pay, and he’s a bad guy.”

Both men had their security clearances revoked.

(With inputs from agencies)