Miles Taylor, a former chief of staff at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, is asking independent watchdogs to investigate a new memo signed by Donald Trump. On April 9, Trump ordered federal agencies to look into Taylor’s service and remove his security clearances. This memo accuses Taylor of making up stories to promote his books and labels him a risk to national security.
Taylor believes this move is dangerous. He says it sends a message that any president can punish someone who speaks against him. The memo does not list any crimes or specific actions that Taylor is accused of. Instead, it calls for an investigation based only on Taylor’s past criticism of Trump.
This same day, Trump also ordered a probe into Chris Krebs, a former cybersecurity chief who once said the 2020 election was fair. Krebs was fired in 2020 after rejecting Trump’s claims of voter fraud. Many experts see these April 9 orders as part of a broader effort by Trump to go after his critics.
Taylor sent letters to the inspectors general of the Department of Justice and Homeland Security. In his letter, he says Trump’s memo violates his rights under the First and Fifth Amendments. He also says it was done to punish him for speaking out during and after Trump’s first term.
Taylor worked in DHS during Trump’s first term and left in 2019. In 2018, he wrote an anonymous op-ed in The New York Times. He described efforts within the Trump administration to stop what he called reckless decisions. That piece led to a leak investigation at the time. Taylor later admitted he wrote the op-ed and released two books about his experience.
In response to the April 9 memo, Taylor’s legal team has taken steps to push back. His lawyer, Abbe Lowell, wrote to federal investigators and called the action unlawful and political. Lowell also said Taylor may file a lawsuit if the internal government review does not lead to a fair result. He recently launched a law practice focused on helping people targeted by political revenge.
Taylor says the situation has taken a toll on his life. His family has received threats, and their home address was posted online. He says some of his former colleagues also lost jobs because of their link to him. He has created a fund to help pay for legal costs. He had to step away from work, and his wife returned to work to support their family.
Despite the risks, Taylor says staying silent is not an option. He and his family spent weeks discussing what to do after Trump signed the memo. They decided to fight back by filing the complaints and speaking out publicly.
Legal experts say this situation may test the limits of presidential power. Some believe it could set a harmful example for future leaders. Others are watching to see if the government’s internal oversight system will take action.
