Law Firms, Universities And Now Civil Society Groups Are In Trump's Sights For Punitive Action

First the nation's top law firms . Then its premier universities . Now, President Donald Trump is leaning on the advocacy groups that underpin U.S. civil society.

Trump said Thursday that the administration is looking at the tax-exempt status not just of Harvard , but environmental groups and specifically the ethics watchdog organization Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, or CREW. It could be a devastating financial blow to the nonprofit organizations - and his perceived political foes.

The president's remarks, during an event at the White House, began to confirm what advocacy groups have been quietly warning: Trump's campaign of retribution is coming next for them.

"It's supposed to be a charitable organization," Trump said about CREW, in particular. "The only charity they had is going after Donald Trump. So we're looking at that. We're looking at a lot of things."

Trump and his team have been working their way through the nation's institutions, threatening to chisel away at the independence and autonomy of the law firms, college campuses and now advocacy groups - or putting them at risk of losing their federal funds or professional livelihood.