A former Homeland Security official from the first Trump administration shared details of a private discussion in which President Trump praised how foreign dictators maintain strict control over their citizens.
Miles Taylor, who held the position of Deputy Chief of Staff at DHS and has openly criticized Trump, mentioned in a CNN interview with John Berman that Trump’s recent comments suggest a fascination with dictatorial power.
“Having worked closely with men during Trump’s first term, he often spoke, almost enviously, about these foreign leaders and their complete dominance over their people,” Taylor stated.
“This is the President of the United States we’re referring to. He’s serious. When he hinted at American retaliation, critics dismissed it as a joke. When he talked about locking people up, again, it was considered a joke.” Taylor emphasized, “He’s doing all of it. No joke, John.”
His remarks follow a clip of Trump responding to Democrats who criticized reports that he was contemplating deploying the National Guard to tackle crime in Democratic-run cities. Trump remarked, “They said, ‘We don’t need him. Free. Free. He is a dictator.’ Meanwhile, he noted, ‘Many people say, ‘We like dictators.””
Continuing, Trump asserted, “I don’t like dictators. I’m not a dictator. I’m just a common-sense and clever person.”
Earlier in April, Trump instructed the Department of Justice to investigate Taylor, who previously penned an anonymous op-ed for the New York Times detailing how some officials worked to restrain Trump’s more extreme impulses. In a related move, Trump revoked Taylor’s security clearance.
Over the weekend, Taylor expressed concern about potentially becoming Trump’s next target, especially after the FBI executed a search of former national security adviser John Bolton’s residence and office. Trump has denied any involvement or awareness of the FBI’s actions.
In his Tuesday interview, Taylor commented that “the individual who claims to be the top law enforcement official in the U.S. and is personally invested in targeting his critics likely never anticipated this situation.”
A White House spokesman dismissed Taylor’s remarks. “Who is Miles Taylor?” asked Anna Kelly in an email response.
