President Donald Trump’s control over the Justice Department has deepened in his second term. According to The Wall Street Journal, a Truth Social message intended as a private directive to United States Attorney General Pam Bondi offered a rare public glimpse of the president’s direct involvement in prosecutorial decisions.
In a Sept. 20 post addressed to “Pam,” Trump wrote, “We can’t delay any longer, it’s killing our reputation and credibility,” and added, “They impeached me twice, and indicted me (5 times!), OVER NOTHING. JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!!”
The post called for immediate action against former FBI Director James Comey, U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif. and New York Attorney General Letitia James. White House officials later told the Journal the message was meant to be private.
Why it matters
The message came as Trump replaced U.S. Attorney Erik Siebert in Virginia with his former personal lawyer, Lindsey Halligan, after Siebert declined to charge Comey with mortgage fraud. Halligan had never prosecuted a criminal case before her appointment, the Journal reported.
Comey was indicted within days of the post for false statements and obstruction charges. Trump’s push for charges may have also been tied to the statute of limitations in which the DOJ could file against Comey.
The former FBI director pleaded not guilty while his lawyer said the case stemmed from hostility towards the former director.
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President Donald Trump replaced Virginia U.S. Attorney Erik Siebert with his former personal lawyer Lindsey Halligan, who had never prosecuted a criminal case.
“We see this as a simple case,” said Patrick Fitzgerald, Comey’s attorney. “Frankly, we feel in this case the cart may have been put before the horse.”
The Journal also reported that Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, both previously Trump’s personal attorneys, dismissed or replaced dozens of Justice Department and FBI officials who worked on matters involving Trump.
What the administration says
A Justice Department spokesperson said the agency is “committed to ending the weaponization and restoring one tier of justice for all Americans.” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump appreciates Bondi and Blanche for their work to “make our country safe again and restore accountability in our previously broken justice system,” according to the Journal.
Supporters inside the administration, including Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte and special prosecutor Ed Martin, also championed investigations into Trump’s critics, including former CIA Director John Brennan and former FBI Director Christopher Wray. Prosecutors are expected to pursue additional cases, including a classified-information case against former national security adviser John Bolton in Maryland.
