February 27th 2020

By Emily Singer

American Independent Foundation

The White House on Monday admitted that it is searching federal agencies to find and remove employees who they believe are not loyal enough to Donald Trump, confirming recent reports that Trump is indeed targeting what the right-wing has dubbed the “deep state” within the government.

“It’s not a secret that we want people in positions that work with this president, not against him, and too often we have people in this government — I mean the federal government is massive, with millions of people — and there are a lot people out there taking action against this president and when we find them we will take appropriate action,” White House spokesman Hogan Gidley said on Fox News.

On Tuesday, Trump also confirmed the purge but downplayed the number of people he believes to be disloyal to him among the federal government’s ranks.

“I don’t think it’s a big problem,” Trump said at a news conference, which he held at the conclusion of his trip to India. “I don’t think it’s very many people.”

But Gidley’s comments suggest a purge that would amount to a sort of modern-day McCarthyism, seeking to sweep out anyone who has ever disagreed with Trump’s policies or behaviors — such as his decision to withhold congressionally appropriated military aid to Ukraine in an effort to extort the country into doing his political bidding.

Trump has already gotten rid of career federal employees who either raised concerns with his Ukraine gambit or complied with congressional subpoenas and testified in the impeachment inquiry, such as Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman.

Axios reported earlier this week that a purge effort was taking place within the administration.

Ginni Thomas, wife of conservative Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, is among those involved in the effort to identify staff disloyal to Trump and recommend their removal.

Thomas’ group, Groundswell, sent at least one memo to Trump last year recommending a list Trump loyalists to be appointed to important positions.

The recommendations feature a who’s who of the Fox News right-wing, including Fox News commentator and failed congressional candidate Dan Bongino for Homeland Security adviser and former Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke — who came under fire when someone died of thirst in a Milwaukee jail he ran —  for a Homeland Security role.

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