Post Reports

Episode: Trump’s pressure on Pam Bondi and the DOJ
Date: September 24, 2025
Host: Elahe Izadi
Guest: Jeremy Roebuck, Washington Post DOJ correspondent

Overview

This episode of Post Reports examines the extraordinary measures President Trump has taken in his second term to exert direct pressure over the Department of Justice—specifically through his Attorney General, Pam Bondi. The discussion focuses on Trump’s public demands to prosecute political adversaries, the ousting of a top federal prosecutor who resisted those efforts, and the broader implications for the independence of the DOJ. Reporter Jeremy Roebuck outlines historic departures from post-Watergate norms, dissects the active cases against Trump’s perceived enemies, and elucidates the alarm within the legal establishment over these developments.

Key Discussion Points

1. Trump’s Public Pressure Campaign on the DOJ

• “He publicly urged his attorney general, Pam Bondi, to go after his political adversaries.” (00:57)
• Trump’s social media post specifically called for prosecution of Letitia James, Adam Schiff, and Jim Comey, labeling them “guilty as hell” and demanding “justice must be served now.” (04:35)
• The public nature of these orders, with direct messages to the Attorney General, marks a break with longstanding presidential restraint regarding DOJ investigations.

2. Background on the Targeted Figures

• Letitia James: New York Attorney General who led a major civil fraud case against Trump’s businesses, resulting in a large adverse judgment. She has continued to challenge Trump policy in court. (05:08–06:01)
• Jim Comey: Former FBI Director fired by Trump, seen by Trump as the architect of the Russia investigation. (06:20–07:02)
• Adam Schiff: Now a senator, head of House Intel Committee during Trump’s first impeachment; frequently appeared on TV to explain Trump’s alleged abuse of office. (07:05–07:53)

3. Nature and Merit of Current Investigations

• Active DOJ investigations into Letitia James and Adam Schiff for mortgage fraud allegations (eg. misrepresenting primary residence on loan paperwork). (08:06)
• Investigation into Comey for alleged false statements to Congress about the Russia probe. (08:06)
• Jeremy Roebuck notes that allegations originated from Trump allies and are “being pressured” onto federal prosecutors, despite evidence being insufficient for likely charges. (09:31)

4. The Forced Ouster of U.S. Attorney Eric Siebert

• Siebert, interim U.S. Attorney for Eastern Virginia (overseeing probes into James and Comey), concluded there was not enough evidence to indict. (09:31–10:25)
• Amidst escalating pressure from Trump and his officials—including public calls for Siebert’s removal—Siebert resigns. (11:02–11:20)
  • Trump on Siebert: “Do you want him fired? Do you want him out? Yeah, I want him out. Yeah.” (Donald Trump, 11:16)
• White House and senior DOJ leadership, including Pam Bondi and Deputy AG Todd Blanche, reportedly lobbied both for and against Siebert, before Trump's will prevailed. (11:41)

5. Appointment of Loyalists to Key DOJ Posts

• Trump nominates Lindsey Halligan (a personal lawyer, no prosecutorial experience) to replace Siebert.
  • This follows a pattern: other Trump legal allies, like Alina Habba, appointed to U.S. Attorney roles. (12:14–13:02)
  • Elahe Izadi: “She’s never been a prosecutor… Is that normal?”
    Jeremy Roebuck: “It’s not typically normal…we’re starting to see more and more of this.” (12:40–13:02)
• Trump openly states Halligan is expected to “get things moving, particularly on these cases.” (13:14–13:37)

6. Case Study: Stopped Investigation into Trump Ally Tom Homan

• Homan (“border czar”) was under pre-election DOJ investigation for accepting a $50,000 bribe from undercover agents seeking immigration contracts.
  • Upon review after Trump’s inauguration, Bondi and FBI director Patel shut the investigation for “insufficient evidence.” (13:53–15:08)
  • Raises allegations of selective prosecution: allies’ cases are quashed while adversaries are targeted. (15:17)

7. Parallels to Trump’s Own Legal Ordeal: “Retribution” or “Accountability”?

• Trump appears to be using DOJ to “make life difficult” for those he believes injured him, echoing his own complaints about “weaponization” of justice when he was under investigation. (16:28–18:11)
  • Ed Martin (DOJ appointee): “If we can’t bring cases, we’re going to basically name them and shame them publicly.” (17:07)
  • Donald Trump: “If they can be charged, we’ll charge them. If they can’t be charged, we will name them… they should be people that are shamed.” (17:41)
• White House claims they seek “accountability, not retribution” but behavior suggests otherwise. (18:11)

8. Why DOJ Independence Matters—Post-Watergate Norms

• Post-1970s reforms designed to separate White House from prosecutorial decisions.
  • Jeremy Roebuck: “Politics should not be influencing prosecutions directly.” (22:33)
  • These norms have held for nearly 50 years under both parties—until now. (23:50)
• Allowing politicized prosecutions erodes rule of law, threatens “full weight of the US criminal justice system” being weaponized against foes. (23:58)

9. Comparisons to Biden Years—Are These “Tit for Tat” Prosecutions?

• Republicans and supporters argue Democrats used DOJ as a weapon against Trump; point to investigations/trials during Biden years.
  • Jeremy Roebuck: Under Biden, DOJ leaders “signed a bunch of internal policies” to restore firewalls.
  • Presidential comments and conduct under Biden maintained at least the appearance of neutrality; Trump’s approach is direct, open, and public. (25:02–26:28)
  • Elahe Izadi: “It sounded like a direct message to her…I almost wondered, like, was that meant privately?” (26:14)
  • Jeremy Roebuck: “There’s not even a pretense of distance at that point.” (26:28)

10. Reactions: Congressional and DOJ Response

• Democrats: Outraged; Senator Schumer: “This is the path to dictatorship.” (26:58)
• Some Republicans: Mild pushback but usually frame as response to Democratic behavior; eg. Senator Rand Paul: “Lawfare of all sorts is wrong…But, yes, it is not right for the Trump administration to do the same thing.” (27:12)
• Other Republicans: Defend Trump’s transparency; eg. Senator Mullen: “He speaks his mind, and that’s what his supporters love about him.” (27:37)
• DOJ Rank and File: Concerned about mounting pressure to secure indictments on weak evidence; fear of further loss of prosecutorial independence. (28:01)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Jeremy Roebuck on the unprecedented nature of Trump’s involvement:
  “For a president, that’s…extraordinary…he was directing his attorney general publicly to prosecute specific people. It was huge…goes beyond anything we’ve seen since Watergate.” (01:51)

• Elahe Izadi on Trump’s intent:
  “Putting aside the comparison…is this what Trump is trying to do? Like, does he view this as, well, they made my life difficult, I’m going to make their lives difficult?” (16:28)

• Ed Martin (DOJ official):
  “If we can’t bring cases, we’re going to basically name them and shame them publicly.” (17:07)

• Senator Schumer (on CNN, via Trump):
  “This is the path to dictatorship…That’s what dictatorships do. It is so very, very frightening and damaging to our republic.” (26:58)

• Donald Trump (on Eric Siebert):
  “Do you want him fired? Do you want him out? Yeah, I want him out. Yeah.” (11:16)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Trump’s Social Media Orders to DOJ: 00:57–01:51
• Deep Dive: Letitia James, Schiff, Comey Cases: 04:42–08:06
• Ousting of U.S. Attorney Eric Siebert: 09:31–11:20
• Appointment of Lindsey Halligan: 12:14–13:37
• Tom Homan Investigation Dropped: 13:53–16:04
• Discussion of DOJ Independence and Watergate Reforms: 21:25–23:50
• Comparisons to Biden-Era DOJ: 24:40–26:28
• Congressional and DOJ Reactions: 26:32–28:01

Conclusion

Through detailed reporting and expert analysis, this episode exposes the Trump administration’s intensifying interference with the independence of the Department of Justice. Public calls to prosecute adversaries, the removal of a resistant U.S. attorney, and the nomination of political loyalists to key prosecutorial roles signal an unprecedented politicization of federal law enforcement. Both career prosecutors and external observers view these moves as a rupture of half a century of norms. As Jeremy Roebuck summarizes, the stakes are high—not merely for the individuals under investigation, but for the core integrity of the American system of justice.