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Trump Proceeds With Post-Impeachment Purge Amid Pandemic Trump Proceeds With Post-Impeachment Purge Amid Pandemic
(about 2 hours later)
WASHINGTON — Remember the impeachment? President Trump does. Even in the middle of a pandemic, he made clear late Friday night that he remained fixated on purging the government of those he believes betrayed him during the inquiry that led to his Senate trial. WASHINGTON — Remember the impeachment? President Trump does. Even in the middle of a deadly pandemic, he made clear on Saturday that he remained fixated on purging the government of those he believes betrayed him during the inquiry that led to his Senate trial.
The president’s under-cover-of-darkness decision to fire Michael K. Atkinson, the intelligence community’s inspector general who insisted last year on forwarding a whistle-blower complaint to Congress, swept away one more official deemed insufficiently loyal as part of a larger purge that has already rid the administration of many key figures in the impeachment drama. The president’s under-cover-of-darkness decision late the night before to fire Michael K. Atkinson, the intelligence community’s inspector general who insisted last year on forwarding a whistle-blower complaint to Congress, swept away one more official deemed insufficiently loyal as part of a larger purge that has already rid the administration of many key figures in the impeachment drama.
Mr. Trump made no effort at a news briefing on Saturday to pretend that the dismissal was anything other than retribution for Mr. Atkinson’s action under a law requiring such complaints be disclosed to lawmakers. “I thought he did a terrible job, absolutely terrible,” Mr. Trump said. “He took a fake report and he brought it to Congress.” Capping a long, angry denunciation of the impeachment, he added, “The man is a disgrace to I.G.s. He’s a total disgrace.”
Mr. Trump’s hunt for informers and turncoats proceeds even while most Americans are focused on the coronavirus outbreak that has killed thousands and shut down most of the country. The president’s determination to wipe out perceived treachery underscores his intense distrust of the government that he oversees at a time when he is relying on career public health and emergency management officials to help guide him through one of the most dangerous periods in modern American history.Mr. Trump’s hunt for informers and turncoats proceeds even while most Americans are focused on the coronavirus outbreak that has killed thousands and shut down most of the country. The president’s determination to wipe out perceived treachery underscores his intense distrust of the government that he oversees at a time when he is relying on career public health and emergency management officials to help guide him through one of the most dangerous periods in modern American history.
“It was a Friday Night Massacre, a purely vindictive decision with no apparent purpose other than punishing the inspector general for doing his job,” said Chris Whipple, the author of “The Spymasters,” a coming history of C.I.A. directors to be published in September. “What’s next? Unmasking the whistle-blower and hauling him into the dock? The signal here to the intelligence community is, do not dare tell the president what he doesn’t want to hear.”“It was a Friday Night Massacre, a purely vindictive decision with no apparent purpose other than punishing the inspector general for doing his job,” said Chris Whipple, the author of “The Spymasters,” a coming history of C.I.A. directors to be published in September. “What’s next? Unmasking the whistle-blower and hauling him into the dock? The signal here to the intelligence community is, do not dare tell the president what he doesn’t want to hear.”
At his briefing on Saturday, Mr. Trump likewise endorsed the firing of Capt. Brett E. Crozier of the Navy, who was removed from command of the aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt after sending his superiors a letter pleading for help for his virus-stricken crew. “He shouldn’t be talking that way in a letter,” the president said. “I thought it was terrible what he did.”
While appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate, inspectors general are government watchdogs traditionally granted a great deal of independence so that they can ferret out waste, fraud and other misconduct in government agencies without fear of reprisal.While appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate, inspectors general are government watchdogs traditionally granted a great deal of independence so that they can ferret out waste, fraud and other misconduct in government agencies without fear of reprisal.
But Mr. Trump has demonstrated repeatedly that he has little regard for such past practices and expects executive branch officials to serve his interests, whether it be the attorney general, intelligence director or military commanders. But Mr. Trump has demonstrated repeatedly that he has little regard for the positions, which were created by Congress after Watergate to increase government accountability, and expects executive branch officials to serve his interests.
The dismissal of Mr. Atkinson came the same day that Mr. Trump installed Brian D. Miller, a White House aide, as the special inspector general overseeing the $2.2 trillion coronavirus relief package just signed into law, raising questions about how beholden he will be to the president in monitoring the execution of the largest such stimulus program in history. His administration has quarreled with various inspectors general and more than a dozen such positions are currently unfilled. When Mr. Trump signed the $2.2 trillion coronavirus relief package, he issued a signing statement saying he will not allow a special inspector general created by the law to monitor spending to send reports to Congress without his supervision.
On Friday night, even as he fired Mr. Atkinson, Mr. Trump installed Brian D. Miller, a White House aide, as the special inspector general for the relief spending, raising questions about how beholden he will be to the president in scrutinizing the execution of the largest such stimulus program in history.
Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic leader, said Mr. Miller’s selection missed the point of what such an oversight official’s mission should be. “To nominate a member of the president’s own staff is exactly the wrong type of person to choose for this position,” Mr. Schumer said on Saturday.Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic leader, said Mr. Miller’s selection missed the point of what such an oversight official’s mission should be. “To nominate a member of the president’s own staff is exactly the wrong type of person to choose for this position,” Mr. Schumer said on Saturday.
The personnel moves came two months after the Senate voted almost entirely along party lines to acquit the president on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress stemming from his efforts to pressure Ukraine to incriminate his Democratic rivals while withholding desperately needed security aid. But even as he has been managing the pandemic response, Mr. Trump has made clear how much impeachment remains on his mind. Mr. Schumer’s office released a letter that Mr. Atkinson sent the senator on March 18 in response to concerns about whistle-blowers. “As you know, the past six months have been a searing time for whistle-blowers and for those who work to protect them from reprisal or threat of reprisal for reporting wrongdoing,” Mr. Atkinson wrote. Promised protections are meaningless if whistle-blowers are “vilified, threatened, publicly ridiculed or — perhaps even worse — utterly abandoned by fair weather whistle-blower champions.”
In a Fox News interview this past week, Mr. Trump blamed Speaker Nancy Pelosi for impeaching him rather than focusing on the looming threat from the coronavirus. Mr. Trump’s dismissal of Mr. Atkinson was the latest instance where he has continued to pursue his personal and policy agenda while the nation has been consumed by the pandemic. He rolled back car pollution rules and used the virus to justify tougher controls at the border with Mexico and a new rule undercutting federal unions.
Mr. Trump acted against the inspector general two months after the Senate voted almost entirely along party lines to acquit him on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress stemming from his efforts to pressure Ukraine to incriminate Democrats while withholding desperately needed security aid. But even as he has been managing the pandemic response, impeachment remains on Mr. Trump’s mind.
In a Fox News interview this past week, Mr. Trump blamed Speaker Nancy Pelosi for impeaching him rather than facing the looming coronavirus threat.
“All she did was focus on impeachment,” he said. “She didn’t focus on anything having to do with pandemics, she didn’t focus on — she focused on impeachment and she lost. And she looked like a fool.”“All she did was focus on impeachment,” he said. “She didn’t focus on anything having to do with pandemics, she didn’t focus on — she focused on impeachment and she lost. And she looked like a fool.”
That is a theme other Republicans have picked up on as well, arguing that the Democrats’ focus on ousting Mr. Trump over what they consider bogus charges distracted the country from confronting the coronavirus earlier. “It diverted the attention of the government, because everything every day was all about impeachment,” Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican leader, told the radio host Hugh Hewitt. That is a theme Republicans have picked up, arguing that the focus on ousting Mr. Trump over what they called bogus charges distracted the country. “It diverted the attention of the government, because everything every day was all about impeachment,” Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican leader, told the radio host Hugh Hewitt.
Mr. Trump, however, denied that it distracted him. “Did it divert my attention?” he replied to a reporter asking him about Mr. McConnell’s comments. “I think I’m getting A-pluses for the way I handled myself during a phony impeachment. OK? It was a hoax.” Mr. Trump, however, denied that it distracted him. “Did it divert my attention?” he replied to a reporter. “I think I’m getting A-pluses for the way I handled myself during a phony impeachment. OK? It was a hoax.”
“I don’t think I would have done any better had I not been impeached. OK?” he added. “And I think that’s a great tribute to something; maybe it’s a tribute to me. But I don’t think I would have acted any differently or I don’t think I would have acted any faster.” “I don’t think I would have done any better had I not been impeached. OK?” he added. “And I think that’s a great tribute to something; maybe it’s a tribute to me. But I don’t think I would have acted any differently or I don’t think I would have acted any faster.” Mr. McConnell later told The Washington Post that he meant Congress was distracted, not the government.
The trial ended Feb. 5, just days after Mr. Trump ordered the country closed to most travelers from China, where the virus outbreak began, and weeks before he began taking other visible steps to confront the pandemic, like his Oval Office address to the nation on March 11 or his declaration of a national emergency on March 13. The Senate trial ended Feb. 5, just days after Mr. Trump ordered the country closed to most travelers from China, where the virus outbreak began. During the trial and long after it was over, Mr. Trump was playing down the seriousness of the coronavirus, likening it to the ordinary flu and predicting that “like a miracle it will disappear.” It was not until March 11, five weeks after the trial, that he first addressed the nation from the Oval Office, and not until March 13 that he declared a national emergency.
In the days after the Senate trial ended, Mr. Trump began removing officials he saw as enemies. The target list was long and varied, including Lt. Col. Alexander S. Vindman, a national security aide who testified before the House under subpoena, and his twin brother, Lt. Col. Yevgeny Vindman, who had nothing to do with impeachment other than being family. Ambassador Gordon D. Sondland, another witness, was removed. After the Senate trial ended, Mr. Trump began removing officials seen as enemies. The target list was long and varied, including Lt. Col. Alexander S. Vindman, a national security aide who testified before the House under subpoena, and his twin brother, Lt. Col. Yevgeny Vindman, who had nothing to do with impeachment other than being family. Ambassador Gordon D. Sondland, another witness, was removed.
William B. Taylor Jr., the acting chief diplomat in Ukraine who also testified, was brought home early. John C. Rood, the under secretary of defense, was ousted. Joseph Maguire, the acting director of national intelligence, was pushed out early. Elaine McCusker, a Defense Department official who questioned the aid freeze had her nomination to be Pentagon comptroller withdrawn. Jessie K. Liu, who prosecuted Mr. Trump’s friend, Roger J. Stone Jr., had her nomination to be under secretary of the Treasury withdrawn. Ambassador William B. Taylor Jr., the acting chief diplomat in Ukraine who also testified, was brought home early. John C. Rood, the under secretary of defense, was ousted. Joseph Maguire, the acting director of national intelligence, was pushed out early. Elaine McCusker, a Defense Department official who questioned the aid freeze had her nomination to be Pentagon comptroller withdrawn. Jessie K. Liu, who prosecuted Mr. Trump’s friend, Roger J. Stone Jr., had her nomination to be under secretary of the Treasury withdrawn.
Mick Mulvaney, the acting White House chief of staff, who admitted at a news briefing that the security aid to Ukraine was held up in part to leverage it to investigate Democrats (and then tried to take his statement back), was fired on March 6 even as the pandemic was beginning to spread more widely. Mick Mulvaney, the acting White House chief of staff, who admitted at a news briefing that the security aid was held up in part to leverage Ukraine to investigate Democrats (and then tried to take his statement back), was fired on March 6 even as the pandemic was beginning to spread more widely.
As the intelligence community’s inspector general, Mr. Atkinson received the whistle-blower complaint filed last August by a C.I.A. official raising questions about Mr. Trump’s dealings with Ukraine. Mr. Atkinson concluded that he was required by law to disclose the complaint to Congress, but the Trump administration initially refused until pressured by lawmakers. As the intelligence community’s inspector general, Mr. Atkinson received the whistle-blower complaint filed last August by a C.I.A. official about Mr. Trump’s dealings with Ukraine. Mr. Atkinson concluded that he was required by law to disclose the complaint to Congress, but the Trump administration initially refused until pressured by lawmakers.
His dismissal on Friday night, a time often used by a White House to bury news it prefers not to gain widespread attention, was disclosed in a letter to Congress but not announced by the White House press office. While it had been anticipated for some time, it still sent waves of concern among lawmakers and intelligence veterans. Mr. Trump said on Saturday that Mr. Atkinson should not have forwarded the whistle-blower’s complaint because it was fake, but in fact the bulk of the information included in it was verified by witness testimony and other evidence collected by House investigators.
“Why was the whistle-blower allowed to do this?” Mr. Trump asked. “Why was he allowed to be — you call him fraudulent, or incorrect transcript. So we offered this I.G. — I don’t know him, I don’t think I ever met him. He never even came in to see me. How can you do that without seeing the person? Never came in to see me. Never requested to see me. He took this terrible inaccurate whistle-blower report — right? — and he brought it to Congress.”
Mr. Atkinson’s dismissal on Friday night, a time often used by a White House to bury news it prefers not to gain widespread attention, was disclosed in a letter to Congress but not announced by the White House press office. While it had been anticipated, it still sent waves of concern among lawmakers and intelligence veterans.
“It’s awful. He did everything right,” Gen. Michael V. Hayden, a C.I.A. director under President George W. Bush, said of Mr. Atkinson. Mr. Trump, he added, was flouting the purpose of an inspector general. “He’s just doing it because he can do it.”“It’s awful. He did everything right,” Gen. Michael V. Hayden, a C.I.A. director under President George W. Bush, said of Mr. Atkinson. Mr. Trump, he added, was flouting the purpose of an inspector general. “He’s just doing it because he can do it.”
Democrats issued statements of protest on Saturday. “I am deeply concerned by President Trump’s purge of longstanding and respected career officials across our government,” said Senator Dianne Feinstein, Democrat of California. “Weakening our national security institutions is bad enough during a time of global calm; during the current instability we’re faced with, it’s particularly dangerous.” Democrats issued statements of protest on Saturday. “Weakening our national security institutions is bad enough during a time of global calm,” said Senator Dianne Feinstein, Democrat of California. “During the current instability we’re faced with, it’s particularly dangerous.”
Senator Charles E. Grassley, Republican of Iowa and a longtime champion of whistle-blowers, said Mr. Trump needed to provide more justification. “They help drain the swamp, so any removal demands an explanation,” Mr. Grassley said in a statement. “Congress has been crystal clear that written reasons must be given when I.G.s are removed for a lack of confidence. More details are needed from the administration.” Senator Charles E. Grassley, Republican of Iowa, said Mr. Trump should provide more justification for firing an inspector general. “They help drain the swamp, so any removal demands an explanation,” Mr. Grassley said in a statement. “Congress has been crystal clear that written reasons must be given when I.G.s are removed for a lack of confidence. More details are needed from the administration.”
Senator Richard M. Burr, Republican of North Carolina and chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, was more muted. Senator Richard M. Burr, Republican of North Carolina and chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, was more tempered, noting that an inspector serves at the pleasure of the president. “However,” he added, “in order to be effective, the I.G. must be allowed to conduct his or her work independent of internal or external pressure. It is my hope the next nominee for the role of I.C.I.G. will uphold the same important standards laid out by Congress when we created this role.”
“Like any political appointee, the inspector general serves at the behest of the executive,” he said. “However, in order to be effective, the I.G. must be allowed to conduct his or her work independent of internal or external pressure. It is my hope the next nominee for the role of I.C.I.G. will uphold the same important standards laid out by Congress when we created this role.” As it happened, one inspector general who has earned Mr. Trump’s favor for his report criticizing the F.B.I.’s handling of the Russia investigation stood by Mr. Atkinson. Michael E. Horowitz, the inspector general at the Justice Department and head of the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency, said Mr. Atkinson was known “for his integrity, professionalism, and commitment to the rule of law and independent oversight.”
As it happened, one inspector general who has earned Mr. Trump’s favor for his investigation criticizing the F.B.I.’s handling of the Russia investigation stood by Mr. Atkinson. Michael E. Horowitz, the inspector general at the Justice Department and head of the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency, said Mr. Atkinson was known “for his integrity, professionalism, and commitment to the rule of law and independent oversight.” “That,” Mr. Horowitz added, “includes his actions in handling the Ukraine whistle-blower complaint.”
“That includes his actions in handling the Ukraine whistle-blower complaint,” Mr. Horowitz added, “which the then acting director of national intelligence stated in congressional testimony was done ‘by the book’ and consistent with the law.”