New York Attorney General Letitia James accused of possible mortgage fraud

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25. Checking names off his enemies list, Trump is just getting started

Last edited Fri Apr 18, 2025, 05:11 PM - Edit history (1)

Remember when JD Vance said Trump is “not a vengeful guy”? It was unbelievable at the time. Now, as he pursues revenge, it’s vastly worse.

Checking names off his enemies list, Trump is just getting started: Remember when JD Vance said Donald Trump is “not a vengeful guy.” At the time, it was unbelievable. Now, as Trump targets his perceived foes, it's vastly worse.

— R.Saddler💙 (@politicspr.bsky.social) 2025-04-18T13:43:13Z

Checking names off his enemies list, Trump is just getting started: Remember when JD Vance said Donald Trump is “not a vengeful guy.” At the time, it was unbelievable. Now, as Trump targets his perceived foes, it's vastly worse.

Link to tweet

https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/donald-trump-revenge-tour-rcna201791

Initially, the president tried to settle scores in petty ways, moving portraits and canceling security clearances for those who didn’t have active clearances anyway. But soon after, the Revenge Tour became more serious, as the Republican stripped officials of their security details, even after they’d faced threats.

Trump’s interest in partisan vengeance against his perceived foes, however, continues to intensify. My MSNBC colleague Jordan Rubin explained:

A ‘criminal referral’ sounds serious, but it doesn’t force prosecutors to file charges against anyone. Still, New York Attorney General Letitia James could have reason to worry about a Trump administration official’s push for her to face federal charges — even if she didn’t break the law.

Rubin’s piece adds, “James, of course, leads the office that secured the massive civil fraud ruling against Trump and others last year (it’s on appeal).”

The president, evidently, hasn't forgotten.

All of this comes on the heels of the president directing the Justice Department to go after Christopher Krebs, who led the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency; which came on the heels of Trump pressing the Department of Homeland Security to investigate Miles Taylor, a former high-ranking DHS official......

But there are also plenty of stops on the Republican’s Revenge Tour that have nothing to do with individual people. That broader list includes law firms (which hired lawyers he perceives as enemies), universities (which hired faculty he perceives as enemies), leading news organizations (which covered him in ways he disapproves of), and cultural institutions (which he believes failed to align themselves to his vision).

Axios recently noted, “In the final days of the 2024 campaign, Axios identified a list of perceived adversaries who fit what Trump ominously described as ‘the enemies from within.’ As president, he has taken steps to retaliate against virtually all of them.”

That was a month ago. The problem is vastly worse now, and there’s no reason to believe conditions will improve anytime soon.