On January 20, President Trump signed an executive order directing the Attorney General to launch a thorough investigation into the Department of Justice. The order reportedly aims to uncover evidence of political weaponization within the agency.

From his first day in office, Trump took aim at the Justice Department. He directed the Attorney General to investigate the department for any signs of partisan bias or misconduct. This marked the beginning of a broader campaign to use state power against individuals and institutions he sees as adversaries.

Using State Power to Target Dissent

“I said this would happen. Dissent isn’t unlawful. It certainly isn’t treasonous. America is headed down a dark path. Never has a man so inelegantly proved another man’s point.”

— Miles Taylor (@MilesTaylorUSA), April 9, 2025

Trump’s approach has raised alarm among historians and legal scholars. He stripped John Bolton of his Secret Service protection, a move initiated by the Department of Justice. Jeremi Suri, a presidential historian at the University of Texas, said Trump has wielded presidential power more aggressively than any of his predecessors to punish those he feels have wronged him.

Suri added that while it’s common for heads of state to have political foes, it’s unprecedented for a president to use nearly every available governmental resource to go after them.

Reports suggest Trump used executive proclamations to revoke security clearances, order investigations, and block perceived enemies from accessing government premises. On day one, he rescinded clearances for approximately 50 former national security officials who had signed a letter claiming Russian involvement in the Hunter Biden laptop controversy. He also stripped clearances from Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and Hillary Clinton—his main opponents in past presidential elections.

In recent weeks, Trump has intensified his attacks on law firms that employed attorneys he considers hostile. In February, he suspended the security clearances of legal counsel at Covington & Burling, the firm that once represented Jack Smith, the special counsel who investigated Trump’s legal cases.

Trump has also ordered the cancellation of all government contracts with law firms he deems disloyal. According to reports, he sent the pen used to sign the executive order to Smith as a mocking souvenir.

Additionally, Trump has signed executive orders targeting five more legal agencies. One such order reportedly names WilmerHale, due to its past association with Robert Mueller, who led the investigation into Trump’s 2016 campaign ties to Russia.

Nine law firms are said to have negotiated deals with the administration to avoid further repercussions. These firms reportedly committed nearly $1 billion in pro bono work on Trump-backed projects.

New Investigations into Former Officials

Trump has ordered the DOJ to investigate Christopher Krebs, the former cybersecurity official who publicly contradicted his false claims about widespread election fraud in 2020. He also targeted Miles Taylor, the former Homeland Security official who anonymously authored a 2019 book critical of Trump. Upon signing the executive orders, Trump labeled Taylor a traitor.