Trump Removes Biden Appointee Amidst Weak Jobs Report
- Special counsel Jack Smith speaks to members of the media at the US Department of Justice building in Washington, DC, on August 1, 2023.
## Trump’s Retaliatory Streak: From Lawsuits to investigations and a White House shakeup
Special counsel Jack Smith speaks to members of the media at the US Department of Justice building in Washington, DC, on August 1, 2023. (SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)
Donald Trump is back in power,and it’s clear he intends to use it – not just to advance his agenda,but to settle scores. It’s a pattern we saw during his first term, and it’s already unfolding with a vengeance.This isn’t simply about policy; it’s about retribution, and it’s having real consequences, as evidenced by the recent departure of a key White House official.## A History of Counterattacks
Trump has always been a counter-puncher,and he’s not shy about using the levers of power to go after those he perceives as enemies. We’re talking about more than just harsh rhetoric. He’s extremely aggressive, whether it’s suing the media (winning $16-million settlements from ABC and CBS); targeting Ivy League universities (Columbia agreeing to pay a $200-million penalty); ordering an investigation of first-term cybersecurity official Miles Taylor (better known as Anonymous); ordering federal agencies to cut ties with WilmerHale (and saying it was as Robert Mueller worked there), along with defunding NPR