Miles Taylor, a former chief of staff at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) during President Trump’s first term, has come forward to discuss the ramifications he has faced following an executive memo signed by Trump that specifically targeted him.
Taylor, who authored an anonymous op-ed in the New York Times criticizing Trump, described receiving news about the memo as a “gut punch,” noting it has taken a severe toll on his life both professionally and personally.
The executive memo, signed by Trump in April, accused Taylor of fabricating stories for the sake of promoting his book and mandated DHS, the Justice Department, and other government agencies to investigate him.
In addition to calling for investigations into Taylor, the memo also ordered the revocation of security clearances for him and those closely associated with him.
In a recent interview with CBS News, Taylor expressed how the memo has made him feel “completely radioactive” to his employer, friends, and family.
He explained that the implications of the executive order made it untenable for him to continue his work in tech consulting, leaving him concerned about financial survival.
“The immediate piece is professional and financial. How are we going to survive?” Taylor questioned, further revealing that since the order was issued, he and his family have been subjected to threats and doxxing from Trump supporters.
He also highlighted the severity of these threats, referencing the gravity of the term ‘treason.’ “Keep in mind, treason is a crime punishable by death in the United States… His supporters do take it seriously,” Taylor stated, referring to the violent threats made against him, his wife, and their infant daughter.
Finding legal representation has proven to be a daunting task for Taylor as well, given the Trump administration’s history of attacking law firms that take on cases on behalf of political adversaries.
While he eventually secured a legal team, Taylor voiced concerns over the potential financial strain it could impose on his family, even raising the possibility of selling their home.
After receiving support from various whistleblower protection groups, Taylor and his attorney recently sent a letter to inspectors general at the Justice Department and DHS, urging an investigation into the executive order and its implementation.
Taylor characterized this letter as a “test case” to assess whether the “guardrails of democracy will hold” in the wake of Trump’s actions.
He remains uncertain as to which part of the government may be investigating him, yet claims acquaintances from high school have reported receiving inquiries from law enforcement regarding him.
Additionally, former colleagues at DHS have warned Taylor that all his government emails from his time in the administration have been uploaded to a government system for review.
“I would hope all Americans, regardless of political party, would say that’s a really scary thing — if we reverse the justice system to start with the conclusion, to start with the crime, and then work backwards to find the evidence,” Taylor remarked.
He strongly criticized the president’s directive as a threat to democratic principles, stressing that the executive memo was signed and elevated to a national platform by none other than the President of the United States himself.
During his tenure in the Trump administration, Taylor penned the notable New York Times op-ed in September 2018, where he spoke of a “quiet resistance” within Trump’s inner circle.
In that op-ed, Taylor and like-minded colleagues pledged to oppose various aspects of Trump’s agenda and his more alarming tendencies.
Following the publication of the op-ed, Trump publicly reacted by tweeting the word “TREASON?” and proposing the author face prosecution.
In his continued critique of Trump’s presidency, Taylor condemned Trump’s actions as harmful to the republic and attributed them to the president’s “amorality,” singling out Trump’s inclination towards autocrats and dictators as particularly concerning.
Taylor also raised alarms about the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle traditional whistleblowing mechanisms, suggesting there is an ongoing effort to stifle dissent within federal agencies.
He concluded by emphasizing how difficult it has become for federal employees to safely report wrongdoing, stating, “Now, those avenues are filled with IEDs.”
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