MWEG Response to Executive Branch Retribution Against Those Who Uphold Free and Fair 2020 Election

In two executive orders issued on April 9, 2025, President Donald Trump continued to push false claims about the 2020 election and targeted those who have said the 2020 presidential election was free, fair, and secure.

One order singled out Christopher Krebs, the former head of the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Krebs was fired by Trump at the end of 2020 after he pushed back against Trump’s claims of widespread voter fraud and called the 2020 election “the most secure in American history.” Trump’s executive order:

• Calls Krebs a “bad-faith actor” who abused his government position to censor speech.

• Accuses Krebs, without evidence, of “falsely and baselessly” denying that the 2020 election was “rigged and stolen.” 

• Orders the suspension of any security clearance for Krebs or organizations associated with him.

• Instructs the attorney general and the Department of Homeland Security to investigate Krebs’ activities as a government employee.

A second executive order targets the law firm Susman Godfrey, which represented Dominion Voting Systems in a defamation lawsuit against Fox News after the network promoted misinformation about the company and the 2020 election. As a consequence, the order directs:

• A suspension of security clearances for Susman Godfrey.

• A review to ensure the law firm does not receive taxpayer funds or contracts. 

The 2020 election was free and fair. After more than 60 court cases, independent investigators did not find any evidence of widespread voter fraud. The inability to accept this fact does not change it. It is deeply alarming that the administration is targeting individuals and organizations that have shared verified evidence to dispute false claims about the 2020 election. The targeting of truth tellers is an authoritarian tactic — and one that no American should tolerate.