The office of the world’s pettiest commander-in-chief is once again targeting one of President Donald Trump’s most disliked opponents: New York Attorney General Letitia James.
This week, Trump’s Justice Department issued two subpoenas to James’ office, seeking information about her successful civil fraud case against Trump and his businesses, as well as her lawsuit against the National Rifle Association. According to The New York Times, the subpoenas are part of a new federal investigation into whether James’ team violated the civil rights of the individuals they pursued. NBC News reports the inquiry is being led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York.
Of course, this is nothing more than political retaliation.
“Investigating the fraud case Attorney General James won against President Trump and his businesses has to be the most blatant and desperate example of this administration carrying out the president’s political retribution campaign,” said Abbe Lowell, an attorney for James.
She added, “Weaponizing the Department of Justice to try to punish an elected official for doing her job is an attack on the rule of law and a dangerous escalation by this administration. If prosecutors carry out this improper tactic and are genuinely interested in the truth, we are ready and waiting with the facts and law.”
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for James’ office said, “Any weaponization of the justice system should disturb every American. We stand strongly behind our successful litigation against the Trump Organization and the National Rifle Association, and we will continue to stand up for New Yorkers’ rights.”
This isn’t the first time Trump has weaponized the Justice Department for political gain. Since retaking the White House, his DOJ—led by loyalist Attorney General Pam Bondi—has focused on his preferred issues: using claims of antisemitism to attack higher education, dismantling police-reform agreements, and going after perceived political enemies.
Trump’s obsession with James isn’t new. He’s spent years attacking her from the bully pulpit. In February, he boasted about plans to revoke the security clearances of officials who’ve investigated or prosecuted him—including James and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. (James noted at the time that she never held a clearance to begin with.)
And now she’s back in his crosshairs—because she beat him.
In 2022, James sued Trump and top executives of the Trump Organization, alleging that they had overvalued his net worth by billions of dollars. A judge found Trump liable for fraud, and the president was penalized with a $355 million fine, plus interest—an amount that has reportedly grown to about half a billion dollars. The case is on appeal.
James also sued the NRA in 2020, accusing top executives of long-standing corruption and financial abuse. Wayne LaPierre, the group’s longtime leader, was ultimately found liable for mismanaging millions and was banned from the group for a decade.
James, who was elected attorney general in 2018, has long been one of Trump’s fiercest and most effective critics. So it’s no surprise that she’s among the growing list of Democratic officials now facing federal scrutiny under Trump’s second term.
Still, she’s shown no signs of backing down before, and she may not this time, either. Back in April, when Trump’s allies launched a separate, baseless investigation into her mortgage qualifications, her office responded bluntly.
“Attorney General James is focused every single day on protecting New Yorkers,” a spokesperson said at the time, “especially as this Administration weaponizes the federal government against the rule of law and the Constitution.”
The new attack against James isn’t about justice. It’s about Trump’s grudge—and now he has the full force of the federal government behind it.