Donald Trump Federal agencies Congressional news January 6th See all topics Follow

During the last presidential campaign, Donald Trump made clear his motivations in trying to retake the White House.

“In 2016, I declared ‘I am your voice.’ Today I add, I am your warrior, I am your justice and for those who have been wronged and betrayed, I am your retribution,” Trump said at the 2023 Conservative Political Action Conference.

More than two years later, Trump has so far used his second term to make good on that promise, enacting what in many cases appears to be payback against a wide swath of critics and perceived political enemies.

Through a mix of presidential powers including executive orders and federal investigations, Trump has sought retribution on a number of fronts, targeting those involved in the multiple legal cases against him, including his indictments for hoarding classified documents and attempting to overturn the 2020 election, as well as the probe into Russia’s election interference in the 2016 election.

In a high-profile case, New York Attorney General Letitia James was indicted on October 9, sources told CNN. James led the successful civil fraud lawsuit against Trump, three of his children and a pair of business associates.

A few weeks earlier, former FBI director James Comey was indicted on September 25 on charges of obstruction of a congressional proceeding and giving false statements. He is the first person to face federal charges in one of Trump’s largest grievances: the 2016 investigation into whether his first presidential campaign colluded with Russia. Comey pleaded not guilty to both charges.

Trump told reports following Comey’s indictment that he expects other political opponents to be prosecuted.

“It’s not a list, but I think there will be others,” Trump said.

In another act of retribution, the home of John Bolton — Trump’s former national security adviser who has since become publicly critical of his former boss — was searched by the FBI on August 22, which some saw as an escalation of the president’s retribution agenda. The investigation first began in 2020 and was recently reopened by the Justice Department. Senior Justice Department leaders are advocating for a charge against Bolton, sources tell CNN.

Trump also moved to canceled the Secret Service detail of former Vice President Kamala Harris, his opponent in the 2024 election. The president also previously canceled the security details of Bolton and Gen. Mark Milley, an official from his first term.

Trump has also revoked the security clearances of more than 100 people so far, including high-ranking officials from the Biden administration, and many other long-time government officials. He’s also fired scores of people, and sought to investigate many of his public critics, including former members of his own prior administration.

Several of Trump’s actions have faced legal challenges — with mixed success. Among the people targeted by Trump, several have yet to comment, while others have remained defiant. Some have also slammed his moves as being politically motivated.

In a statement to CNN, the White House said: “Joe Biden weaponized his Administration to target political opponents – most famously, President Trump.”

“President Trump is restoring integrity to our government,” White House spokesperson Davis Ingle said in t