Trump Weaponizes Federal Government to Persecute Truth Told By Cybersecurity Expert Chris Krebs

Apr 10, 2025 01:55 PM EDT, Thu

‘Prosecute’ vs. ‘Persecute’ – Merriam-Webster

“One you do in court, the other you do if you’re a jerk.”

Trump is using the Justice Department (DOJ) and Homeland Security (DHS) to persecute his perceived political enemies.

These two Executive Orders from Trump are actually the opposite of what the titles convey. Trump lives in an “alternate reality”1; what is right is wrong, what is up is down.

In authoritarian fashion, Trump orders probes into two ex-officials who defied him

The president’s new efforts to target Christopher Krebs and Miles Taylor are so radical that Liz Cheney described the tactics as “Stalinesque.”

April 10, 2025, 8:58 AM EDT By Steve Benen

On the surface, the principal problem with the Republican hysteria about the Biden administration “weaponizing” the Justice Department is that the GOP conspiracy theories were absurd. There was never any credible evidence to suggest the Democratic White House or Attorney General Merrick Garland abused their powers or politicized federal law enforcement in any way, at any time, in any case.

But just below the surface, there was a related problem: The Republican hysteria was also ironic. It was Donald Trump, in his first term, who did exactly what the GOP falsely accused Joe Biden of doing: There’s overwhelming and uncontested evidence that Trump spent much of his first term trying to transform agencies and officials — including prosecutors — into his own personal attack dogs.

Trump’s former White House chief of staff, retired Gen. John Kelly, went so far as to alert the public to the fact that the president “regularly” wanted to use the Justice Department to retaliate against critics.

In the Republican’s second term, he’s picking up where he left off — and by some measures, making matters worse. NBC News reported:

President Donald Trump directed federal agencies Wednesday to revoke the security clearances and review the activities of two high-level former government officials who questioned his election fraud claims and his conduct in his first term.

Let’s take these one at a time.

Trump fired Krebs — not because he’d done anything wrong but because the president wanted him to go along with his lies about the election results.

During Trump’s first term, Christopher Krebs led the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), which was responsible for combatting foreign interference in our elections and preventing attacks. Krebs earned bipartisan praise for his work, and after the 2020 election cycle, The Washington Post’s David Ignatius noted, “When the history books about this election are written, Krebs will be one of the heroes.”

The day Ignatius’ column was published, Trump fired Krebs — not because he’d done anything wrong but because the president wanted him to go along with his lies about the election results. When Krebs instead told the truth, he was shown the door.

Four and a half years later, Trump issued an order that not only described Krebs as a “significant bad-faith actor who weaponized and abused his Government authority” — a claim the president made while abusing his government authority — it also directed Attorney General Pam Bondi and the Department of Homeland Security to “review” Krebs’ work and activities.

Miles Taylor, meanwhile, was a former high-ranking official in Trump’s Department of Homeland Security who became a prominent Trump critic, alerting the public to allegations that he personally witnessed the president’s corruption and ineptitude.

This is simply not the sort of thing that’s supposed to happen in a stable and healthy democracy.

Trump’s order, which called on the Department of Homeland Security to investigate Taylor’s activities, also said Taylor “stoked dissension.” Just as notably, the president, who has repeatedly disclosed sensitive information, suggested that his critic had “disclosed sensitive information,” adding, “[T]his conduct could properly be characterized as treasonous.”

Putting aside the obvious concern that such rhetoric is insane, it’s also worth emphasizing that “treason” is a word the president uses far too often, especially given that treason is a capital offense.

But as important as these details are, let’s not miss the forest for the trees: A sitting American president signed executive orders seeking investigations into former officials, not because they did anything wrong, but because they defied him. This is simply not the sort of thing that’s supposed to happen in a stable and healthy democracy. Former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming described Trump’s latest moves as “Stalinesque.”

Indeed, if an investigative reporter had uncovered evidence that Trump had done this in private — quietly directing agencies to investigate critics without cause — it would be a front-page scandal. Trump, however, did it in public, practically bragging about his own abuse.

But as Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut recently noted in an unrelated matter, “Just because the corruption plays out in public doesn’t mean it’s not corruption.”

Steve Benen Steve Benen is a producer for “The Rachel Maddow Show,” the editor of MaddowBlog and an MSNBC political contributor. He’s also the bestselling author of “Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans’ War on the Recent Past.”

Addressing Risks from Chris Krebs and Government Censorship – The White House

PRESIDENTIAL ACTIONS Presidential Memoranda April 9, 2025 MEMORANDUM FOR THE HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES

The Federal Government has a constitutional duty and a moral responsibility to respect and promote the free speech rights of Americans. Yet in recent years, elitist leaders in Government have unlawfully censored speech and weaponized their undeserved influence to silence perceived political opponents and advance their preferred, and often erroneous, narrative about significant matters of public debate. These disgraceful actions have taken the form of coercive threats against the private sector — including major social media platforms — to suppress conservative or dissenting voices and distort public opinion. Much of this censorship took place during a Presidential election with the apparent purpose of undermining the free exchange of ideas and debate.

Christopher Krebs, the former head of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), is a significant bad-faith actor who weaponized and abused his Government authority. Krebs’ misconduct involved the censorship of disfavored speech implicating the 2020 election and COVID-19 pandemic. CISA, under Krebs’ leadership, suppressed conservative viewpoints under the guise of combatting supposed disinformation, and recruited and coerced major social media platforms to further its partisan mission. CISA covertly worked to blind the American public to the controversy surrounding Hunter Biden’s laptop. Krebs, through CISA, promoted the censorship of election information, including known risks associated with certain voting practices. 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. Krebs skewed the bona fide debate about COVID-19 by attempting to discredit widely shared views that ran contrary to CISA’s favored perspective.

Abusive conduct of this sort both violates the First Amendment and erodes trust in Government, thus undermining the strength of our democracy itself. Those who engage in or support such conduct must not have continued access to our Nation’s secrets. Accordingly, I hereby direct the heads of executive department and agencies (agencies) to immediately take steps consistent with existing law to revoke any active security clearance held by Christopher Krebs.

I further direct the Attorney General, the Director of National Intelligence, and all other relevant agencies to immediately take all action as necessary and consistent with existing law to suspend any active security clearances held by individuals at entities associated with Krebs, including SentinelOne, pending a review of whether such clearances are consistent with the national interest.

I further direct the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with any other agency head, to take all appropriate action to review Krebs’ activities as a Government employee, including his leadership of CISA. This review should identify any instances where Krebs’ conduct appears to have been contrary to suitability standards for Federal employees, involved the unauthorized dissemination of classified information, or contrary to the purposes and policies identified in Executive Order 14149 of January 20, 2025 (Restoring Freedom of Speech and Ending Federal Censorship). As part of that review, I direct a comprehensive evaluation of all of CISA’s activities over the last 6 years, focusing specifically on any instances where CISA’s conduct appears to have been contrary to the purposes and policies identified in Executive Order 14149. Upon completing these reviews, the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall prepare a joint report to be submitted to the President, through the Counsel to the President, with recommendations for appropriate remedial or preventative actions to be taken to fulfill the purposes and policies of Executive Order 14149.

This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Addresses Risks from Chris Krebs and Government Censorship – The White House

Fact Sheet The White House April 9, 2025 RESTORING TRUST IN GOVERNMENT: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed a Presidential Memorandum revoking any active security clearance held by Chris Krebs and his associates.

  • The Order directs the head of every federal agency to immediately revoke any active security clearance held by Krebs.
  • The Order also suspends any active security clearance held by individuals at entities associated with Krebs, including SentinelOne, pending a review of whether such clearances are consistent with the national interest.
  • Furthermore, the Order calls for a review of Krebs’ activities as a government employee, including his leadership of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).
  • The review will include a comprehensive evaluation of all of CISA’s activities over the last 6 years and will identify any instances where Krebs’ or CISA’s conduct appears to be contrary to the administration’s commitment to free speech and ending federal censorship, including whether Krebs’ conduct was contrary to suitability standards for federal employees or involved the unauthorized dissemination of classified information.

ENDING GOVERNMENT CENSORSHIP: President Trump is committed to ending government censorship of Americans and believes that those who engage in such conduct should not have access to our nation’s secrets.

  • Krebs, the former head of CISA, is a significant bad-faith actor who weaponized and abused his government authority.
  • Krebs, through CISA:
    Suppressed conservative viewpoints under the guise of combatting purported misinformation, and recruited and coerced major social media platforms to further its partisan mission.
    Covertly worked to blind the American public to the controversy surrounding Hunter Biden’s laptop. Promoted the censorship of election information, including known risks associated with certain voting practices, and 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. Skewed the bona fide debate about COVID-19 by attempting to discredit widely shared views that ran contrary to CISA’s favored perspective.

ENSURING LOYALTY AND ACCOUNTABILITY: President Trump has made clear that loyalty to the United States must come before personal or partisan agendas, taking decisive action against those who misuse their undeserved influence to deceive the American public.

Federal Agency Functions
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) defends critical infrastructure against threats.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) works to improve the security of the United States. The Department’s work includes customs, border, and immigration enforcement, emergency response to natural and manmade disasters, antiterrorism work, and cybersecurity.
Department of Justice (DOJ) The Department of Justice (DOJ) enforces federal laws, seeks just punishment for the guilty, and ensures the fair and impartial administration of justice.

  1. @RalphHightower: A Kellyanne Conway word that she used in Trump’s first administration. ↩

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