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A List of Who Trump Has Targeted for Retribution: Biden, Law Firms and Others
Since returning to office, President Trump’s campaign to exact revenge against his foes has turned out to be far more expansive, creative, efficient — and less reliant on the justice system — than anticipated. Here’s a breakdown of what he’s done.
Mr. Trump revoked security protection for several former members of his first administration, despite warnings from the Biden administration that some faced ongoing threats from Iran because of actions they took on Mr. Trump’s behalf.
In addition to revoking his security clearance, the Pentagon removed Gen. Mark A. Milley’s security detail, ordered an inspector general inquiry into his record and took down his portrait from the hallways of the Pentagon.
Mr. Trump terminated the security protection for Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top government official charged with the response to the pandemic. The Trump administration fired more than a dozen prosecutors who worked for the special counsel Jack Smith on two criminal investigations into Mr. Trump.
Several senior employees at the bureau were told to resign.
The Trump administration forced out veteran career lawyers who managed pardon work, bankruptcy litigation and other legal issues in the latest wave of forced departures.
The Trump administration also began an investigation into federal prosecutors and agents who investigated cases against pro-Trump rioters who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Mr. Trump has also said he intends to strip the security clearances of prosecutors who investigated him and lawyers who played a role in his two impeachments.
The Department of Justice’s pardon attorney was dismissed a day after she refused to recommend that the actor Mel Gibson, a prominent supporter of Mr. Trump, should have his gun rights restored.
A top Department of Justice official appointed by Mr. Trump said the department would investigate prosecutors who refused to dismiss corruption charges against Mayor Eric Adams of New York.
The president said he would also declassify documents from the F.B.I.’s investigation into ties between Mr. Trump and Russia, known as Crossfire Hurricane, which began in 2016.
Mr. Trump fired at least 12 inspectors general, purging the government of several independent watchdogs whom Congress had charged with rooting out abuse and illegality within federal agencies.
The acting head of the U.S. immigration court system and three other top officials were fired. The Trump administration also shut down three watchdog agencies, gutting the offices responsible for conducting oversight of Mr. Trump’s immigration crackdown.
Mr. Trump revoked the security clearances of 51 people who signed a letter suggesting that the contents of Hunter Biden’s laptop could be Russian disinformation.
Mr. Trump targeted a number of law firms with executive orders that would strip their lawyers of security clearances, a move that would cripple the firms’ business. Some of the targeted firms employ lawyers who have worked on investigations into Mr. Trump or on causes that his supporters object to. Many of the firms have reached agreements with the Trump administration to avert the order, and top partners have closed ranks in support of the agreements.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sent letters to 20 law firms requesting information about their diversity, equity and inclusion-related employment practices. The letters suggested that the firms may have discriminated against white candidates and violated civil rights laws.
Mr. Trump issued an order directing the Justice and Homeland Security Departments to “seek sanctions against attorneys and law firms who engage in frivolous, unreasonable and vexatious litigation against the United States.”
The White House blocked A.P. reporters from the Oval Office and Air Force One because the wire service is using the name Gulf of Mexico, rather than Mr. Trump’s preferred term, Gulf of America.
Mr. Trump’s Federal Communications Commission chair ordered investigations into sponsorships at PBS.
Mr. Trump’s F.C.C. chair ordered investigations into sponsorships at NPR.
Mr. Trump’s F.C.C. chair opened an inquiry into CBS News focused on a “news distortion” complaint.
Mr. Trump’s F.C.C. chair announced an investigation into the San Francisco radio station KCBS for its coverage of Mr. Trump’s immigration enforcement actions.
Mr. Trump’s F.C.C. chair ordered an investigation into the diversity, equity and inclusion programs at Comcast, the parent company of NBC News.
The parent company of Facebook agreed to pay $25 million to settle a lawsuit Mr. Trump filed over the suspension of his accounts after the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol. Before the election, Mr. Trump had threatened to imprison the company’s co-founder, Mark Zuckerberg.
Mr. Trump ordered the government to “eliminate to the maximum extent” the functions of the Presidio Trust, which oversees a San Francisco park and was one of Representative Nancy Pelosi’s proudest accomplishments.
Mr. Trump issued an executive order claiming that the Smithsonian Institution had “come under the influence of a divisive, race-centered ideology.” The order stipulated, among other things, that future appropriations to the Smithsonian “prohibit expenditure on exhibits or programs that degrade shared American values.”
The center has been in flux since Mr. Trump purged its previously bipartisan board of Biden appointees and had himself elected chairman.
Biden administration members and other Democrats
Members of the first Trump administration
People involved in criminal or impeachment cases against Mr. Trump
Department of Justice, F.B.I. and other government officials
Law firms
Universities
News organizations
Public and cultural institutions