Former DHS Official Warns of Trump's 'Obsessive Attraction' to War Crimes

Miles Taylor says he personally heard Trump propose 'the most inhumane acts' against civilians.

Apr. 3, 2026 at 5:34pm

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A quiet, cinematic painting of a solitary government office interior bathed in warm, diagonal sunlight and deep shadows, conceptually illustrating the troubling revelations about a former president's disregard for human rights.The haunting specter of a former official's warnings about a president's disturbing attraction to war crimes casts a long shadow over the future of American democracy.NYC Today

Miles Taylor, a former U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official, has warned that former President Donald Trump has an 'almost obsessive attraction' to the idea of committing war crimes and targeting civilian populations. Taylor, who previously wrote an anonymous op-ed criticizing Trump's leadership, says he personally heard Trump propose 'the most inhumane acts' during his first term in office.

Why it matters

Taylor's warnings about Trump's violent rhetoric and willingness to consider war crimes raise serious concerns about the former president's judgment and the potential consequences if he were to regain power. As a high-ranking former DHS official, Taylor's insider perspective provides a troubling glimpse into Trump's mindset and the challenge of restraining his more destructive impulses.

The details

In a recent article, Taylor recounts specific instances where Trump proposed using deadly force against unarmed migrants at the U.S. border and threatened to bomb Iranian civilian infrastructure, which would constitute war crimes under international law. Taylor says he experienced 'a particular kind of horror' watching Trump describe 'in clinical detail' how he wanted to hurt innocent people, with only his aides standing between Trump's 'fantasy and its execution'.

  • In late 2018 and early 2019, Taylor was helping to lead the Department of Homeland Security during Trump's first term.
  • In September 2018, the New York Times published an anonymous op-ed written by Taylor criticizing Trump's leadership.
  • In 2020, Taylor revealed that he was the author of the anonymous op-ed.

The players

Miles Taylor

A former U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official who worked closely with Trump during his first presidency. Taylor is a conservative who later supported Democrat Joe Biden in the 2020 election and Kamala Harris in 2024.

Donald Trump

The former President of the United States who Taylor says has an 'almost obsessive attraction' to the idea of committing war crimes and targeting civilian populations.

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What they’re saying

“This week, Donald Trump threatened to bomb Iranian oil infrastructure and desalination plants — the facilities that keep civilian populations alive. When critics pointed out that deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure constitutes a war crime under international law, the White House waved them off. The president, his spokesmen assured us, was engaging in tough diplomacy. But the man wasn't bluffing. He's got an almost obsessive attraction to the idea of maiming civilians. I know. I've personally heard him propose the most inhumane acts.”

— Miles Taylor, Former U.S. Department of Homeland Security Official

“There's a particular kind of horror that comes from watching a powerful man describe, in clinical detail, how he wants to hurt innocent people and realizing that the only thing standing between his fantasy and its execution is a room full of aides, scrambling to remind him what is illegal and what is not. That's the horror I experienced in late 2018 and early 2019, when I was helping to lead the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in Trump's first term.”

— Miles Taylor, Former U.S. Department of Homeland Security Official

What’s next

Taylor's warnings about Trump's violent rhetoric and willingness to consider war crimes raise serious concerns about the former president's judgment and the potential consequences if he were to regain power. As a high-ranking former DHS official, Taylor's insider perspective provides a troubling glimpse into Trump's mindset and the challenge of restraining his more destructive impulses.

The takeaway

Taylor's account highlights the ongoing concerns about Trump's authoritarian tendencies and disregard for democratic norms and international laws. His warnings underscore the importance of vigilance and accountability to prevent the abuse of power and the commission of war crimes, even by the highest levels of government.