"Killing Reputation": Trump Publicly Urges US Justice Department To Charge His Enemies

Former US prosecutor investigating Trump's adversary was dismissed by the President.

On Saturday, US President Donald Trump openly called for his Justice Department to pursue legal action against his political opponents, representing the latest in a sequence of actions that critics argue have undermined the department's traditional independence.

In a social media communication apparently directed at Attorney General Pam Bondi, Trump expressed frustration regarding the absence of legal proceedings against Democratic Senator Adam Schiff and New York Attorney General Letitia James.

Both Schiff and James have been accused by Trump ally Bill Pulte, Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, of falsifying documents on mortgage applications.

"We can't delay any longer, it's killing our reputation and credibility," Trump stated in his post.

The previous day, Trump dismissed Erik Siebert, the federal prosecutor overseeing the investigation into James, after the attorney reportedly concluded there was insufficient evidence to support mortgage fraud charges against her.

According to the New York Times and other media outlets, Siebert informed his staff of his resignation via email on Friday.

"I fired him, and there is a GREAT CASE, and many lawyers, and legal pundits, say so," Trump declared on Saturday, seemingly referring to the investigation targeting James.

Both Schiff and James have previously confronted Trump through investigations that the Republican president has characterized as politically motivated witch hunts.

Later Saturday, Trump announced the appointment of White House aide Lindsey Halligan to fill Siebert's position. Halligan has been leading a review of the Smithsonian Institution's content for "divisive or partisan narratives."

The President described Halligan as a "tough, smart, and loyal attorney."

During Trump's first presidential term, Schiff, then a House member, led the prosecution during Trump's first impeachment trial, which centered on allegations that Trump pressured Ukraine to interfere in the 2020 election.

Trump was ultimately acquitted by the Senate in that trial, as well as in 2021 when he faced a second impeachment for "incitement of insurrection" related to the January 6, 2021, Capitol invasion by his supporters.

Following Trump's departure from office, James initiated a significant civil fraud case against him, alleging that he and his company illegally inflated his wealth and manipulated property values to secure favorable loan terms or insurance conditions.

A state judge ordered Trump to pay $464 million in that lawsuit, though a higher court later eliminated the financial penalty while maintaining the underlying judgment.

"They impeached me twice, and indicted me (5 times!), OVER NOTHING. JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!!" Trump wrote on Saturday.

Trump has also been found guilty of 34 felonies connected to hush money payments to a porn star.

Earlier this month, a US appeals court upheld an $83.3 million penalty against Trump for defaming author E. Jean Carroll, whom he was found to have sexually assaulted.

Investigations into Trump concerning alleged mishandling of classified materials and attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results were discontinued following his re-election last year.