‘Who will stand up and oppose it?’: Trump’s relentless campaign of retribution in his second term

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 3 min read 100% complete by Sam LevineJanuary 21, 2026 at 01:00 PM
‘Who will stand up and oppose it?’: Trump’s relentless campaign of retribution in his second term

AI Summary

medium article 3 min

Donald Trump has engaged in a wide-ranging campaign of retribution against perceived enemies since launching his first presidential campaign in 2015. As president, he has used the power of the federal government to punish those he believes have wronged him, including government employees, political opponents, and organizations. Examples include firing prosecutors, indicting political figures like Letitia James and James Comey, and targeting individuals with investigations through a housing agency. Trump has also threatened non-profit groups, fired FBI agents, and issued executive orders against law firms challenging his policies. These actions align with his stated intention to act as "retribution" for those he believes have been wronged.

Keywords

retribution 100% political grievance 70% weaponization 60% criminal charges 60% federal government 50% political opponents 50% security clearances 40% executive orders 40%

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Very Negative
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Source
The Guardian - World News
Political Lean
Center-Left (-0.40)
Far LeftCenterFar Right
Classification Confidence
90%

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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