### Former Homeland Security Official Speaks Out Against Trump Administration’s Retaliation

A former Homeland Security official who served during President Donald Trump's first term and authored a critical anonymous op-ed is now speaking out after being personally targeted by the president. Miles Taylor, the former chief of staff at the Department of Homeland Security, has shared his experience following an executive memo signed by Mr. Trump that has drastically affected his life.

The executive memo, signed in April, accused Taylor of fabricating stories to sell a book and ordered multiple government agencies, including the DHS and the Justice Department, to investigate him. Additionally, the memo called for the revocation of his security clearances and those of his associates. Taylor denies leaking any classified material during his tenure.

Taylor expressed feeling "completely radioactive" in both his professional and personal spheres due to the memo. He stated that the order has made it almost impossible for him to continue his work in tech consulting, as the Trump administration could extend their investigation to anyone who employs him. This sense of professional and financial instability has even led to threats and harassment from Trump supporters, according to Taylor.

The threats have been severe and personal, extending to Taylor's wife and daughter. He noted that accusations of treason, a crime punishable by death in the United States, while perhaps not taken seriously by the president, are taken seriously by some of his supporters, leading to violent threats.

Taylor has also encountered significant difficulty in securing legal representation. The Trump administration's history of targeting law firms that represent political adversaries made finding a legal team challenging. Fortunately, some whistleblower protection groups have come forward to support Taylor.

In response to the circumstances, Taylor and his attorney recently sent a letter to the inspectors general at the Justice Department and DHS, calling for an investigation into the executive order and its implementation. Taylor views this action as a crucial test to determine if the democratic guardrails can withstand such direct challenges.

According to Taylor, the investigation into his activities has been alarmingly pervasive. He mentioned that law enforcement has contacted people from his past, and his former colleagues at DHS have informed him that all his government emails are now under review.

Taylor highlighted the dangers of this approach, emphasizing that it undermines the justice system by starting with a predetermined conclusion and working backward to find supporting evidence.

Taylor initially wrote an anonymous op-ed for The New York Times in September 2018, which described a "quiet resistance" within the administration against President Trump and his policies. Taylor later disclosed his identity as the author, condemning Trump’s actions as damaging to the republic's health.

In response to the op-ed, President Trump accused the author of treason and called for their prosecution. Taylor also voiced concerns about the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle whistleblower protection systems, making it more perilous for federal employees to report wrongdoing.

According to Taylor, the avenues once available to whistleblowers are now fraught with hurdles, likening them to being "filled with IEDs" due to systematic suppression efforts.