The Department of Justice (DOJ) indicted former FBI Director James Comey on two counts Thursday, just days after President Trump signaled to Attorney General Pam Bondi that the department should prosecute more of the president’s political foes.
In a Truth Social post last week, the president asked Bondi why Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) are not being prosecuted.
“We can’t delay any longer, it’s killing our reputation and credibility,” Trump wrote in the post. “They impeached me twice, and indicted me (5 times!), OVER NOTHING. JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!!
Although he said Friday that he does not have a “list,” Trump predicted that other officials could face charges.
“It’s not a list, but I think there will be others. They’re corrupt. These were corrupt, radical-left Democrats,” the president told reporters.
“They weaponized the Justice Department like nobody in history. What they’ve done is terrible. And so I hope — frankly, I hope there are others. Because you can’t let this happen to a country,” Trump added.
Trump has a lengthy list of perceived political opponents, many of whom he has called for to be prosecuted.
Adam Schiff
Schiff, the Democratic senator, was one of three officials mentioned in Trump’s post on Truth Social about a week ago.
The California senator headed the first impeachment inquiry into the president and also sat on the House Select Committee that probed the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.
“I’m looking at Pam because I hope something’s going to be done about it. It was a hoax created by the Democrats, but in particular, Schiff, crooked Hillary, the whole group,” Trump said last month.
Schiff, who at the time was a representative on the House Intelligence Committee that investigated 2016 Russian election interference, was referred to the DOJ over allegations of mortgage fraud in July. Schiff and his lawyer have denied the allegations.
During an appearance on NBC News’s “Meet the Press” in August, Schiff accused the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) who made the criminal referral, Bill Pulte, and the administration of using mortgages as “their new weapon to go after their critics.”
Letitia James
The New York attorney general was also accused of mortgage fraud by Pulte, alleging that she claimed a Virginia home as her primary residence while holding public office in the Empire State. James has denied wrongdoing.
The DOJ opened up an investigation against James in August.
Last week, Trump claimed he fired a federal prosecutor in Virginia whose mortgage fraud investigation into James had not resulted in charges being brought against New York’s top law enforcement official.
After Comey was indicted Thursday, the Democratic Attorneys General Association formed a legal defense fund to back James, along with other Democratic Party attorneys general in Trump’s crosshairs.
James, a longtime critic of Trump, brought a successful lawsuit against the president, with a judge agreeing he overstated his wealth. Trump was ordered to pay nearly $355 million in penalties, but the fine was tossed out after an appeal.
Trump’s former criminal prosecutors
Trump has directed his ire at prosecutors involved in his criminal cases over the years.
The president has called for Fulton County, Ga., District Attorney Fani Willis (D), who indicted Trump in his election interference case, to be impeached.
“Crime in Atlanta is WORST IN NATION. She should be impeached for many reasons, not just the Witch Hunt (I did nothing wrong!),” Trump said in August 2023 on Truth Social.
He has called for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg (D), who led the prosecution that found Trump guilty of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, to be “HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE CRIME OF ‘INTERFERENCE IN A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.’”
Trump said Jack Smith, the former DOJ special counsel whose probe led to two indictments against Trump related to the mishandling of classified documents and election interference, is “deranged” and should be “thrown out of the country.”
Brennan and Clapper
In late July, CIA Director John Ratcliffe said he made criminal referrals to the DOJ for former CIA Director John Brennan and former Director of National Intelligence (DNI) James Clapper, indicating charges could be levied against the two former Obama administration officials.
Trump said in late August that it “would not bother” him to see Comey and Brennan handcuffed and arrested on live TV.
“They committed all the crimes — there should be — I can’t tell you whether or not because I really I don’t have to stay uninvolved. I’m allowed to stay involved, but I purposely don’t get involved. I can say that they should be arrested,” Trump said in an interview with The Daily Caller.
George Soros
Trump has called for Democratic megadonor George Soros and his son, Alexander Soros, to face federal charges. The elder Soros has funded left-leaning nonprofits in the U.S., drawing ire from Republicans.
“George Soros, and his wonderful Radical Left son, should be charged with RICO because of their support of Violent Protests, and much more, all throughout the United States of America,” the president said in late August, referring to the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act.
Earlier this month, The New York Times reported that the DOJ is pushing U.S. attorney offices to investigate the Soros-funded Open Society Foundations, targeting a group that funds nonprofits around the world.
“The Open Society Foundations unequivocally condemn terrorism and do not fund terrorism. Our activities are peaceful and lawful, and our grantees are expected to abide by human rights principles and comply with the law,” the group said in response.