In an unusual and extreme step, President Donald Trump has called for a federal review of Miles Taylor, a former Chief of Staff at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), because Taylor criticized the president. The April 9, 2025, memo, “Addressing Risks Associated with an Egregious Leaker and Disseminator of Falsehoods,” orders DHS to look into Taylor’s time working for the government and possibly remove his security clearances.
This comes after Taylor wrote an anonymous 2018 opinion piece in the New York Times that strongly criticized the Trump administration, followed by his book, “Blowback,” which warned that Trump might misuse presidential power if he returned to office. The memo claims Taylor made up stories to sell his book. According to AP News, making the situation even more serious, President Trump publicly said Taylor might be “guilty of treason,” a crime that can carry the death penalty.
