Insiders reveal how Donald Trump used his presidential power to target enemies – as secret White House documents show how top aides desperately tried to ‘contain his impulses’

Insiders from Donald Trump’s time in the White House have warned that he often tried to use his presidential powers to attack his personal enemies.

The former president made no secret of his attacks on opponents during his time in office, often in public. But now that more attention has been focused on that period, how he allegedly overstepped his authority is coming to light.

One example is Trump’s anger at the Justice Department for its failure to prosecute Hillary Clinton and former FBI director James Comey in 2018. His chief counsel warned him not to try to circumvent his attorney general with his own prosecution.

While some loyal officials were carrying out his instructions, an investigation was opened by the New York Times has found that others in Trump’s administration have done everything they can to curb his impulses and protect the president from potential legal danger.

Trump’s perceived contempt for the justice system has come under scrutiny in the final stretch of the presidential election, with him repeatedly threatening retaliation for what he sees as a wave of wrongful charges since leaving office.

When Trump sought to prosecute Clinton and Comey in 2018, the president reportedly pushed for it in response to an investigation into his presidential campaign’s ties to Russia.

During a meeting in the Oval Office at the time, Trump reportedly became furious with his Attorney General Jeff Sessions for not yet filing charges against the two, warning that if Sessions didn’t, he would do it himself.

This raised concerns among White House counsel Donald F. McGahn II, who realized that such a move could provoke negative reactions and wanted to emphasize the legal ramifications.

According to witnesses who spoke to The New York Times, McGahn responded, “How about I do this… I’m going to write you a memo explaining what the law is and how it works.

“And I’ll give you that memo, and you can decide for yourself what you want to do.”

White House counsel Donald F. McGahn II has reportedly been working to block Trump’s efforts to prosecute his political enemies

Trump reportedly wanted to launch a public prosecution of former FBI director James Comey in 2018 in response to an investigation into his presidential campaign’s ties to Russia.

Another political foe of Trump who reportedly came into his sights was his 2016 presidential opponent, Hillary Clinton.

A draft of McGahn’s memo to Trump shows the adviser was convinced the president planned to bypass his own cabinet if necessary.

“You have asked what steps you may lawfully take if you disagree with the Attorney General’s decision not to bring criminal charges or to conduct further criminal investigations,” a reported portion reads.

The memo noted that while presidents do have influence over the decision-making of their Justice Departments, even if indirectly, presidential powers were severely limited.

“(Presidents do not have the authority) to initiate an investigation or prosecution on their own or to bypass the Attorney General by directing another official to conduct a prosecution or investigation,” the memo said.

Insiders’ warnings about their efforts to rein in Trump’s instincts are all the more urgent now that he’s facing a second term. The former president has repeatedly signaled that he wants to fill a second term with more loyal officials.

A second Trump term would also be bolstered by a July Supreme Court ruling that grants former presidents broad immunity from prosecution for any “official acts” they perform while in the White House.

Insiders have warned that a second Trump term could be marked by a Cabinet packed with loyalists and bolstered by a Supreme Court ruling that gives former presidents broad immunity from prosecution for any “official acts” they perform while in the White House.

Former US Secretary of State John Kerry was a target of Trump during his first term

Despite the warnings to Trump, including the possibility of impeachment, insiders were reportedly so concerned he wasn’t listening that they smuggled such memos out of the White House in case future investigations emerged.

According to the New York Times, at least two aides took notes of their meetings with Trump as evidence of how he sought to overstep the bounds of his office.

Just a month after reportedly fuming over Comey and Clinton, Trump had a new target: former Secretary of State John Kerry.

Kerry drew Trump’s ire for playing a central role in negotiating the Iran nuclear deal under President Obama, and reportedly staying in touch with Iranian diplomats after Trump rejected the deal while in office.

Trump publicly questioned whether Kerry had broken the law by keeping these contacts going, while Trump simultaneously tried to end the deal.

Kerry was not prosecuted and evaded the president’s efforts, as were other alleged targets, including Comey, FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe, and the FBI’s lead agent in the Russia investigation, Peter Strzok.

While not all of Trump’s targets were successfully prosecuted, some were closely monitored and endured costly legal proceedings to clear their names.