Final answer:
Senator Joseph McCarthy accused people within the U.S. government as being Communists or sympathizers, often without evidence. He also targeted gay men and lesbians, claiming they were vulnerable to Soviet blackmail.
Step-by-step explanation:
Senator Joseph McCarthy described the people engaged in traitorous actions in the United States as Communists and Communist sympathizers within the government. Through his infamous rhetoric and accusations during the McCarthyism era, he targeted various individuals without providing concrete evidence, alleging that they were disloyal and posed a risk to national security.
McCarthy also suggested that some government employees, such as gay men and lesbians, were morally weak and susceptible to blackmail by Soviet agents, which could lead to betrayal of the United States. Despite the baselessness of his claims, his tactics fueled a widespread anti-Communist hysteria during the early years of the Cold War.