As Donald J. Trump returns to office, critics, prosecutors, and perceived enemies who sought to hold him accountable and banish him from American political life are now facing a president who is assuming power, having vowed to exact vengeance.
Mr. Trump has promised to investigate and punish adversaries, especially those involved in his four prosecutions and the congressional investigation of the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. These threats, along with his stated intention to grant clemency to at least some of those who carried out the January 6 assault, have many in Washington and elsewhere on edge, fearing not just government action against them but that the telegraphing of his wishes has created an environment of unpredictable, free-range retribution by his supporters.
Many of those targeted by Mr. Trump and his allies are now on high alert, with some taking precautions such as buying guns and increasing security measures. One former police officer who was attacked by the pro-Trump crowd on January 6, Michael Fanone, has been an outspoken critic of Mr. Trump and fears that the violence and threats that have already been directed at him and his family will only get worse after Mr. Trump returns to office.
Despite Trump’s promises of vengeance, many of his most outspoken critics and perceived enemies are opting not to speak out publicly, fearing that doing so could make them even more visible targets. Only a few have spoken out anonymously, expressing their concerns about being investigated by the Justice Department or F.B.I., losing their jobs or clients, and facing harassment or violence from Trump supporters.
The perceive enemies list compiled by Kash Patel, Mr. Trump’s choice to run the F.B.I., has intensified their anxieties, and some have even retained powerful law firms in Washington to represent them in case of an investigation. One public critic of Mr. Trump said he recently bought a gun for the first time in his life because he was afraid that Trump supporters, emboldened by a president willing to pardon them, will attack him and his family at home.
The fear that has set in among those targeted by Mr. Trump has not yet resulted in a mass exodus of career employees from the Justice Department and F.B.I., but it is still possible that Mr. Trump may issue pardons or take other forms of retribution before leaving office. The mood among Trump’s enemies is one of anxiety and fear, as they weigh the potential risks and consequences of speaking out against Mr. Trump’s threats of retribution.
