Miles Taylor, who in 2020 revealed himself as the author of the explosive anonymous NYT column that described a resistance group within the Trump Administration. Credit – Bill O’Leary—The Washington Post/Getty Images
Several weeks ago—in an unprecedented move in U.S. history—President Donald Trump issued a presidential memorandum directing a federal review of a private citizen for criticizing him.
That person was me.
In 2018, while working as a the Chief of Staff for the Department of Homeland Security, I called on my colleagues to preserve our democratic institutions. Now, I am calling on federal watchdogs to take action.
This week my legal team submitted a formal complaint to the Inspectors General of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Justice (DOJ). We are asking them to investigate whether federal officials are carrying out what we argue is an unconstitutional order that targets a citizen not for a crime but for dissent.
I served in the first Trump Administration and sounded the alarm about the abuses of power I saw firsthand, first by blowing the whistle anonymously and then publicly. I warned that if Trump returned to power, he would use the presidency to punish his critics. This warning was not rhetorical. I said it would be a “revenge machine” against individuals and institutions alike.
Since then, the Trump White House has been busy proving my point.
The President issued his order on April 9 suspending my security clearance and instructing DHS to conduct an investigation of my time in government. As he did, he suggested that I was guilty of treason—a crime punishable by death—and that the Attorney General should likewise investigate. Trump teased years ago that he would punish me for speaking out, and now back in office, he has followed through on the threat, indifferent to First Amendment protections.
But this is much bigger than me. This is about whether we will allow the President—any president, of any political party—to criminalize criticism. That’s why this Inspector General complaint matters.
Inspectors General are supposed to be the immune system of American democracy. They exist inside our federal agencies to investigate misconduct and prevent the abuse of government authority. They are not prosecutors, and they do not issue verdicts. But they shine a light in the dark, especially when public officials try to exploit their offices to advance political ends.
Now is the time for them to act.
Trump appointees have been directed to use their powers to investigate me, my former colleague Chris Krebs, and our associates. The consequences have already been very real.
I’ve been forced to step away from my job because the blacklisting makes it impossible for me to carry out my work. My family faces the prospect of financial ruin because of legal costs, so we’ve had to set up a legal defense fund. Threats have rolled in against us, including from stalkers who have harassed and doxxed us. Friends have distanced themselves for fear of retribution. A top DHS official was even fired after photos were circulated showing that in 2019 he attended my wedding. And the Justice Department has used the President’s order against me to justify the removal of protections for journalists, making it easier for authorities to get search warrants against news outlets.
But the real harm will come if Trump’s lieutenants are allowed to carry forward with these revenge investigations, unimpeded. Indeed, it will create a precedent for this White House or any future president to investigate anyone they please.
That’s why the Inspectors General must rise to this occasion. DHS and DOJ watchdogs have a responsibility to investigate whether their departments are being misused to punish dissent, whether federal employees are violating constitutional rights, and whether this abuse of power is the beginning of something much worse.
We are in a moment that will test democracy for the ages.
Will the system be able to protect Americans from political retaliation? Or have the guardrails corroded so badly that anyone now faces the prospect of the President’s pen becoming a sword?
This isn’t theoretical anymore. It’s happening—right here in America. And only a handful of institutions remain to stop it.
Contact us at letters@time.com.
