Justice Department Group to Intensify Review of Trump Probes
Attorney General Pam Bondi established a “Weaponization Working Group” last year to review law enforcement actions under the Biden administration for instances of “politicized justice.”
Justice Department officials are scheduled to meet to discuss reenergizing probes focused on officials who investigated former President Donald Trump. After a year of work, the group had not publicly produced results. Recent reports indicate that Trump has expressed dissatisfaction regarding the progress of these and other investigations.
The Weaponization Working Group is now expected to begin daily meetings, with a stated objective of producing results within the next two months.
Mandate and Scope of the Working Group
The group was established in February following an executive order from Trump titled “Ending the Weaponization of The Federal Government.” A memo issued on Bondi's first day outlined its purpose: to review activities of departments and agencies with civil or criminal enforcement authority over the past four years, specifically looking for practices designed to achieve political objectives.
The group's mandate includes investigations into Trump by former special counsel Jack Smith, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, New York Attorney General Letitia James, and probes into the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
The memo listed seven areas for examination, including the Trump-related cases and other issues raised by Republicans during the Biden administration. These include allegations of discrimination against Catholics, a memo on protecting school board members, whistleblower protections, and prosecutions of anti-abortion demonstrators.
Parallel Legal Actions
Separately, federal prosecutors under Bondi have pursued indictments against Trump’s political adversaries. These have included former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, though those indictments were later dismissed.
Additionally, an indictment was brought against former national security adviser John Bolton, and criminal investigations were opened into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, and former CIA Director John Brennan.