President Trump demanded Attorney General Pam Bondi prosecute figures he considers enemies, intensifying pressure on the Justice Department.
Trump publicly urged immediate action, citing past impeachments and indictments. “Justice must be served, now!” he wrote on social media.
He specifically named former FBI Director James Comey, Senator Adam Schiff, and New York Attorney General Letitia James, claiming their guilt.
Trump later told reporters, “They have to act. They have to act fast,” emphasizing urgency to Bondi.
Rapid Personnel Changes Signal Political Control
Trump ousted U.S. Attorney Erik Siebert after he declined to charge James and Comey, showing increased personal control over prosecutions.
Trump nominated Lindsey Halligan, his personal legal team member without prosecutorial experience, to fill Siebert’s Eastern District of Virginia post.
He praised Bondi publicly while stressing she needed a “tough prosecutor” to enforce his directives.
Pressure Expands to Other Federal Prosecutors
Trump administration increased scrutiny on Maryland U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes, who investigates Schiff and John Bolton.
Hayes, a career prosecutor, affirmed she would only file charges supported by evidence, despite political pressure.
These moves extend Trump’s earlier purge of Justice Department and FBI officials who handled cases against him.
Undermining Norms and Justice Protocols
Trump’s public directives violate decades of Justice Department independence, dating back to Watergate-era prosecutorial standards.
Experts note that U.S. attorneys handle routine federal filings; interfering risks altering the criminal justice system’s operations.
Former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales resigned after politically motivated U.S. attorney firings under President George W. Bush.
Trump’s reaction to Siebert’s removal contrasts sharply with past norms, highlighting a more aggressive approach to political retribution.
Retribution Remains Central to Trump’s Agenda
Trump emphasized that if evidence justified charges, prosecutors must act; if not, no action was necessary.
He described prior indictments against him as “fake deals” and demanded rapid action “one way or the other.”
The campaign illustrates Trump’s ongoing desire to retaliate against those who investigated him, showing disregard for traditional legal constraints.
