A demand has been made by Donald Trump that the U.S. Justice Department bring charges against prominent Democratic opponents. Pam Bondi, the Attorney General, has been addressed directly in social media posts by Trump, in which prosecutors are urged to act against Letitia James, Adam Schiff, and others.
An investigation had been conducted by federal prosecutors in Virginia into alleged mortgage fraud by Letitia James, but no charges were filed, a result which was attributed to insufficient evidence. Erik Siebert, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, was removed from his post after pressure was placed upon him to indict James.
A replacement was named by Trump to handle the case, Lindsey Halligan, who had previously been a personal attorney and White House aide. Statements have been made by Trump that the delay in prosecuting his political adversaries is damaging the credibility of his administration. Critics have raised concerns that rule-of-law norms are being undermined by what has been called political interference in prosecutorial decisions.