Associated Press issued a wire midafternoon today, headlined “Trump’s Perceived Enemies Worry about Losing Pensions, Getting Audited and Paying Steep Legal Bills.” The accompanying picture features former National Security Adviser John Bolton, a man who would have gotten the U.S. in “World War Six” had he been able to, as President Donald Trump rightly quipped in 2020. Bolton epitomizes the myriad of warmongers who fear they are losing their clout. AP writes:
“It’s not just criminal prosecutions that worry those who have crossed President Donald Trump. There are more prosaic kinds of retaliation: having difficulty renewing passports, getting audited by the IRS and losing federal pensions.
“For the many people who have made an enemy of Trump, his return to the presidency this week sparked anxiety. Some are concerned they could go bankrupt trying to clear their names.
“Less than 24 hours after taking office, Trump fired an opening shot, ordering the revocation of security clearances held by dozens of former intelligence officers who he believes sided with Joe Biden in the 2020 campaign or have turned against him. The loss of such clearances can be costly for former officials who work for defense contractors and require ongoing access to classified information to do their private sector jobs.
“‘Anybody whoever disagrees with Trump has to worry about retribution,’ said John Bolton.… ‘It’s a pretty long list. I think there are a lot of people who are very worried.’”