President Donald Trump publicly pressured Attorney General Pam Bondi to prosecute his political opponents in a social media post on Saturday night, September 20, 2025, before deleting the message and replacing it with praise for her work. The extraordinary demand targeted three longtime adversaries: former FBI Director James Comey, Senator Adam Schiff of California, and New York Attorney General Letitia James.
In the now-deleted Truth Social post addressed directly to “Pam,” Trump declared that he had reviewed over 30 statements criticizing his administration for inaction. The president asserted that his targets were all guilty but complained that nothing was being done about prosecutions. He reminded Bondi of his own legal troubles, noting he had been impeached twice and indicted five times, concluding with “JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!!”
The social media ultimatum came as Trump fired Erik Siebert, the acting U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, who had declined to pursue mortgage fraud charges against James. Siebert, who had worked in the district since 2010, announced his resignation on Friday, September 19, though Trump contradicted this account in his post, claiming he had terminated Siebert for refusing to do his job. The president criticized Siebert as having Democratic support from Virginia’s two senators.
Trump simultaneously announced his replacement for Siebert: Lindsey Halligan, his former criminal defense attorney who currently serves as special assistant to the president and senior associate staff secretary. Halligan also oversees changes to the Smithsonian museums. In his post, Trump praised Halligan as someone who “likes you, a lot” and would provide “desperately needed, JUSTICE FOR ALL.”
Approximately one hour after the initial post disappeared, Trump published a more conciliatory message praising Bondi’s performance. He described the attorney general as doing a great job and characterized her as very careful, smart, and patriotic. White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt later issued a statement indicating that Trump appreciates Bondi’s efforts to make America safe again and wants justice for those who weaponized the justice system against him and his supporters.
The three targets of Trump’s prosecution demands each have extensive histories with the president. Comey led the investigation into Trump’s possible ties to Russian leadership during the 2016 election, which concluded that Trump’s campaign did not collude with Russian operatives. Schiff, as a House member, led Trump’s first impeachment during his initial term. James brought a successful civil suit against Trump in 2022, accusing him of overvaluing assets in loan applications, though the financial penalty was later voided.
The public pressure on Bondi represents an escalation in Trump’s second-term approach to pursuing political adversaries. Eight months into his presidency, Trump has intensified efforts to consolidate power and target those who have criticized him. This includes restrictions on Pentagon reporters, the suspension of late-night comedian Jimmy Kimmel’s show, and apparent direct appeals to the Justice Department to pursue cases against opponents.
Congressional reactions to Trump’s demands split along partisan lines. Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, a frequent Trump critic from the right, argued that it would not be appropriate for the Trump administration to engage in the same prosecutorial tactics used against the president under the previous Democratic administration. Paul condemned what he termed “lawfare in all forms” during an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut characterized presidential direction of prosecutions against political opponents as unconstitutional and deeply immoral. He warned that such practices could establish a dangerous precedent affecting both parties, suggesting the approach would eventually boomerang on conservatives and Republicans. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York expressed concerns that Trump was transforming the Justice Department into an instrument targeting enemies while helping friends, describing this as a path toward dictatorship.
The pressure campaign extends beyond social media posts to personnel decisions across federal prosecutor positions. Trump has worked to install loyalists in key prosecutorial roles, including former Fox News host Jeanine Pirro in the District of Columbia and former attorney Alina Habba in New Jersey. The president has largely stocked his second administration with individuals loyal to his agenda.
Legal experts suggest that even if Bondi pursues the cases Trump demands, significant obstacles remain within the judicial system. Career prosecutors, grand juries, federal judges, and appellate courts provide multiple checkpoints that could halt politically motivated prosecutions lacking sufficient evidence. However, the investigation process itself can impose substantial financial and reputational costs on defendants regardless of ultimate outcomes.
