Mark Zaid, a lawyer who has handled cases for whistle-blowers from both major political parties under different administrations, found himself back in the spotlight because of his role in the first impeachment proceedings against President Trump. His involvement with that case placed him directly in Trump’s line of fire.
While attending a wedding recently, Zaid learned from a news interview that his security clearance would be taken away. The information came from a New York Post story featuring President Trump. As of now, no formal explanation or official notice has been given to him.
Zaid explained that nothing about his professional work has changed in over three decades. “Since I started practicing in Washington, D.C., 32 years ago, my job has always been to hold whoever is in power accountable, regardless of party, when they break the law or cross ethical lines,” he said.
He added that it’s now plain to see that Trump is simply acting on the pledges he made, particularly the promise to punish anyone he believes worked against him.
Trump’s Growing List of Perceived Enemies
Zaid has now been added to a group of individuals whom President Trump considers to be against him. During the first month of his return to office, Trump and his supporters have carried out a series of actions aimed at those they view as opponents. Few moments in U.S. history can compare to this level of political retaliation.
He has removed Secret Service protection from former officials who are reportedly under threat from Iran. He has either removed or threatened to remove security clearances from President Biden, his staff, and many others. The administration has also started targeting news outlets seen as unfriendly and slashing departments believed to lean liberal. Federal workers viewed as untrustworthy have been dismissed or investigated.
When Trump was asked why he targeted Biden’s team and others over their security clearances, his answer was straightforward.
“There are people we simply do not respect,” he said to reporters. “When we believe they broke the law or came very close to it in the past, we act.”
Vanderbilt University history professor Nicole Hemmer, who specializes in studying U.S. presidents, pointed out that Trump’s focus on punishing perceived disloyalty is more extreme than anything seen before in the country’s leadership.
She recalled that other presidents, like John Adams, went after the press, and Andrew Jackson took steps against past administrations by claiming to fight corruption. Richard Nixon’s efforts to punish his political enemies were so intense that they eventually cost him the presidency.
But Trump’s actions stretch deeper. He has not only focused on big-name targets but has also reached into lower levels of government and the press.
Pressure on Public Servants and Media
The inspector general of the U.S. Agency for International Development lost his job after releasing a critical review about Trump’s freeze on foreign aid and his efforts to dismantle the agency.
A senior Justice Department official, picked by Trump, said prosecutors who resisted dropping corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams would now face investigations themselves.
Trump and his political ally Elon Musk have gone after specific reporters by name. Musk, in particular, recently demanded the removal of a Wall Street Journal reporter who exposed racist comments made by someone on his internal cost-cutting team.
Access has also been restricted for certain media outlets. The Associated Press has been blocked from entering the Oval Office and Air Force One. This happened because the AP used the name “Gulf of Mexico,” instead of Trump’s preferred term, “Gulf of America,” when referring to the body of water between Mexico and the United States.
Professor Hemmer observed that Trump has managed to push Congress into following his wishes and has reshaped large parts of the judiciary into courts that are more likely to support him.
She said, “We are now dealing with a situation where personal revenge is being used as a guide for government decisions, and there are very few limits stopping it.”
Widening the Retaliation Campaign
Former officials like John Bolton, Mike Pompeo, and Brian Hook, all previously under threat from the Iranian government, have had their Secret Service details withdrawn because they were seen as no longer loyal to Trump.
Following his instructions, Trump’s aides have begun looking into federal prosecutors and investigators who brought charges against people involved in the Capitol attack on January 6, 2021. He has also expressed plans to cancel security clearances for the lawyers and prosecutors who were involved in his two impeachment trials.
The White House did not issue a comment. However, Trump’s spokesperson previously said that his best method of revenge is focusing on policy changes that benefit Americans.
Right-wing organizations have responded to Trump’s message. One nonprofit group created a “watch list” with names and photos of more than 50 federal employees connected to diversity and inclusion work. They asked Trump to fire them.
Many of those listed are Black public health workers. Some conservatives have also built their own target lists, including one labeled a “deep state list,” which urged Trump to remove certain officials.
Zaid confirmed this activity, saying, “They have collected multiple lists, and our names are already there. Now, they are simply working their way through them.”
Legal Pushback Against Trump and Allies
One individual now in Trump’s sights is Norm Eisen, a former U.S. ambassador who helped House Democrats during the first impeachment process.
Eisen, a lawyer, now works alongside Zaid to represent FBI agents who handled the January 6 case. These agents are currently suing the Justice Department to prevent their identities from being revealed while Trump continues to scrutinize their roles.
Eisen is also on a team of attorneys who are fighting efforts by Elon Musk to obtain sensitive records from the Treasury Department.
He takes Trump’s actions against him as proof that he’s doing the right thing.
He said, “To me, it feels like a strange kind of compliment. And it pushes me to keep going.” Then he added, “So they should expect a lot more lawsuits.”
