The swamp is quaking in its boots. As Donald Trump prepares to return to the White House in January, senior officials at the FBI and DOJ are reportedly scrambling to hire criminal defense attorneys. According to a report from NBC News, the prospect of a Trump administration—complete with firebrand Matt Gaetz as Attorney General—has left many of the bureaucratic elite fearing they’ll be held accountable for their actions over the last several years.
One former senior FBI official, speaking anonymously (because, of course), insists that “everything we did was aboveboard.” Yet despite this claim, he’s already making calls to lawyers, bracing for what he expects to be politically charged investigations and legal battles. “This is a different world,” the official lamented, highlighting the panic gripping government agencies that once considered themselves untouchable.
The NBC report also delivered a delicious tidbit about the emotional fallout within the DOJ following Trump’s decisive election win. Attorney General Merrick Garland was reportedly “shocked” by the result, while some DOJ officials openly wept. These same officials, who for years have painted themselves as paragons of impartiality, are now bracing for a reckoning over allegations of corruption and politically motivated prosecutions.
Trump has yet to specify which charges might be brought against individuals within the DOJ and FBI, but the scope seems clear. It would likely involve their role in what many conservatives see as a concerted effort to derail Trump’s presidency and target his supporters. Special Counsel Jack Smith, who spearheaded Trump’s legal troubles, has been singled out by Trump allies like conservative lawyer Mike Davis. Davis recently argued on Newsmax that Smith should “lawyer up” and even face prison time for what he called a “criminal conspiracy against President Trump.”
The legal maneuvers are shaping up to be a war of accountability versus institutional arrogance. Trump allies, including attorney Mark Paoletta, argue that this isn’t about political vengeance but about ensuring no one is above the law. Paoletta wrote in July, “Whether friend or foe, no one is above the law.”
Trump’s critics have long claimed he would use his office to settle political scores. His allies counter that rooting out corruption isn’t personal—it’s justice. Either way, the bureaucratic elite who acted with impunity during Trump’s first term might want to start shopping for lawyers. The hammer of justice, as they say, is coming, and it seems Trump intends to swing it hard.
Leave a Comment