Trump’s Recent Moves Signal His Revenge Agenda Is Far From Over
On Friday night, Trump made a series of decisions that seemed focused on retaliation. He unveiled a plan to overhaul the Kennedy Center’s board of trustees, removing several members he claimed didn’t align with his vision for the future of the arts and culture. He also ousted the center’s chairman, David Rubenstein, a billionaire philanthropist who is close to President Biden.
In another striking move, the Trump administration announced that the Archivist of the United States, Colleen Shogan, was dismissed under Trump’s orders. While Trump had previously expressed interest in replacing the archivist, this was still a surprising action against Shogan, who had shown loyalty to him. The National Archives had become more prominent after the FBI search of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, part of the investigation into his handling of classified materials. Shogan, who had personal ties with Melania Trump, was not involved when the FBI executed the search in 2022.
Trump also took aim at former officials, stripping them of their security details—even those facing genuine threats. Just last week, he revoked the security detail of his former Defense Secretary, Mark Esper, who had remained protected due to threats from Iran related to his tenure. Other former officials, such as Gen. Mark Milley, former National Security Adviser John Bolton, and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, have also seen their security details removed in the early days of Trump’s return to office.
In another notable move, the FBI provided the Justice Department with a list of employees involved in January 6 investigations following a request from acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove. Although Bove insisted the information wasn’t meant for retaliation, FBI agents feared it could be used to target individuals for termination by the new administration.
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by tech mogul Elon Musk, has been instrumental in carrying out many of these actions. One of the department’s first tasks was to dismantle the US Agency for International Development (USAID). Trump’s Day 1 executive order froze most foreign aid, halting numerous USAID programs. Acting leadership at USAID announced late Friday that it would place all direct hires on leave, shrinking the agency’s 10,000-person workforce to just 300 essential staff members. A federal judge temporarily blocked the action, preventing over 2,000 employees from being placed on leave, but uncertainty still looms over the agency’s future.
DOGE also targeted the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), where Trump ally Russell Vought took over as acting director. The CFPB has long been a conservative target. Musk posted a message on social media reading, “CFPB RIP,” along with a tombstone emoji.
In another controversial move, DOGE worked to cancel a $168,000 contract with the Department of Health and Human Services that was intended to create a museum exhibit honoring Dr. Anthony Fauci, who has often been criticized by Trump. Fauci, the former head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, confirmed that the project, planned to be housed at the National Institutes of Health, was canceled. The cancellation was first reported by SAN.
