President Donald Trump is voicing his outrage that Miles Taylor, the former chief of staff at the Department of Homeland Security, is “Anonymous.”
In 2018, Taylor wrote an op-ed that was published by The New York Times anonymously and alleged that he was a high-ranking administration official who was thwarting the president’s worst instincts.
After the op-ed was published, Taylor was widely referred to as “Anonymous” because his identity was withheld.
However, many suggested that it strains credulity to assert that Taylor was a “senior administration official” in his position.
It’s an embarrassment. https://t.co/jIebjS1Q5d
— Jonathan Swan (@jonathanvswan) October 28, 2020
During a rally in Florida on Thursday, Trump turned his attention to Taylor’s revelation, “He was a staffer, low, had nothing to do with the White House.”
“There should be major criminal liability for some scum like this,” he added.
Trump continued to say he wondered whether if high-ranking Cabinet members were the author of the op-ed, “And it turns out to be this low-life that nobody knows who the hell he is. He had nothing to do with us. I don’t think I ever met him.”
“This is a disgrace to our country. It shouldn’t have happened, and he should be prosecuted. Are you listening to me back in Washington? He should be prosecuted,” he said.
Trump added, “Along with The New York Times, cause it was a story made up, it was fake news made up by The New York Times.”
Watch the video below:
“There should be major criminal liability for some scum like this … He should be prosecuted. Are you listening to me back in Washington? He should be prosecuted. Along with the New York Times” — Trump on Miles Taylor, aka “anonymous” pic.twitter.com/cMk3fKLR9x
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 29, 2020
In a blog post on Wednesday afternoon, Taylor wrote, “We do not owe the President our silence. We owe him and the American people the truth.”
He added that at the time, he published his criticisms anonymously because “issuing my critiques without attribution forced the President to answer them directly on their merits or not at all.”
Trump has insisted he never met Taylor. However, he responded, “That’s too bad. I remember you, all too well. And I will continue shining a light on your failed presidency through the election—and beyond.”
That’s too bad. I remember you, all too well. And I will continue shining a light on your failed presidency through the election—and beyond. https://t.co/ARzUQ9oss2 pic.twitter.com/JEgBCxdSss
— Miles Taylor (@MilesTaylorUSA) October 28, 2020
He has since been hired as a contributor for CNN. However, after he revealed that he was “Anonymous,” many noted that he previously denied he was the writer during an interview with the network’s Anderson Cooper.
That prompted CNN’s Chris Cuomo to ask, “Why should CNN keep you on the payroll after lying like that?”
Taylor responded that in his 2019 book “A Warning,” he vowed to “strenuously deny I was the author” if he was asked.
It is not clear what Trump believes Taylor should be prosecuted for.
