In his first month in office, President Trump has launched a campaign of retribution that seems unprecedented in U.S. history. Mark Zaid, a lawyer representing whistle-blowers from both parties over the years, found himself on the receiving end of the president’s wrath after his involvement with the whistle-blower at the heart of Trump’s first impeachment.
Zaid, attending a wedding last weekend, learned from an interview Trump gave to The New York Post that his security clearance was set to be revoked, a move that could hinder his ability to represent clients working on classified matters. To date, Zaid has received no formal notification or explanation of the action.
“I’ve been doing the same thing for 32 years—holding administrations accountable, regardless of party affiliation,” Zaid said. “It’s clear that Trump is carrying out the campaign promises he made to retaliate against those he feels wronged him.”
Zaid is just one name on a growing list of people Trump perceives as disloyal. Within the first month of his presidency, Trump and his allies have pursued a broad retribution campaign. He has pulled protective security details from former colleagues facing threats, revoked security clearances from political adversaries, and taken action against media outlets, government agencies, and employees deemed untrustworthy.
When asked why he targeted the security clearances of former President Biden and others, Trump was direct: “There are people that we don’t respect… If they broke the law, or came close to it, we do something about it.”
Nicole Hemmer, a Vanderbilt University historian, says Trump’s actions against perceived enemies are unparalleled in U.S. history. While past presidents, like John Adams or Richard Nixon, had their moments of conflict with the press or political opponents, Trump’s reach has extended far beyond the high-profile to include lower-level government employees and media figures. For example, he dismissed an inspector general at USAID after the official criticized the impact of foreign aid freezes. Trump has also threatened federal prosecutors who resisted dismissing corruption charges against New York’s Mayor Eric Adams.
Trump and his ally, Elon Musk, have named specific journalists for criticism, with Musk even calling for the firing of a Wall Street Journal reporter for exposing racist comments by an employee of Musk’s team. The White House has blocked Associated Press journalists from covering events like Air Force One travel because of the agency’s use of the name “Gulf of Mexico” rather than Trump’s preferred “Gulf of America.”
Hemmer points out that unlike past presidents, Trump has largely avoided restraints from Congress or the judiciary, allowing him to wield executive power in ways that have raised alarm.
“We are in uncharted waters,” Hemmer says. “It’s the combination of a single-minded revenge focus with unchecked executive power that makes this especially dangerous.”
Trump’s campaign of retribution has even affected his former officials. He stripped Secret Service protection from John Bolton, Mike Pompeo, and others he deemed disloyal, despite the fact they remain targets of Iranian threats. In addition, Trump has initiated investigations into federal prosecutors and agents involved in the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot investigations and has expressed plans to strip security clearances from those involved in his impeachments.
The White House did not respond to requests for comment, but Trump’s spokesperson has previously stated that his “best retribution” is shifting the nation toward successful policies benefiting Americans.
Conservative groups, seeing Trump’s commitment to revenge, have rallied around this theme. One nonprofit posted photos and names of over 50 federal workers they allege support diversity and inclusion, calling on Trump to fire them. Many of those targeted are Black workers in health agencies, while others have compiled their own “enemies lists” with the aim of urging Trump to act.
Zaid noted that these lists are being methodically worked through. “They pulled together all sorts of lists with our names on them. They’re just going down the list.”
Among those targeted by Trump is Norm Eisen, a former ambassador who worked with House Democrats during Trump’s first impeachment. Eisen now represents FBI agents involved in the Jan. 6 investigation, suing the Department of Justice to block the public release of their names as Trump continues to scrutinize their work.
Despite being targeted, Eisen views Trump’s actions as a sign of success. “I take it as a backhanded compliment, and it’s going to encourage me to do more,” Eisen said. “So, expect many more lawsuits.”