Donald Trump’s administration is facing increasing scandal. The Department of Justice (DOJ) has greatly increased investigations into his political adversaries, and is starting to clear out many lawyers and staff who worked on cases against him and his allies. In increasing numbers, scholars and former prosecutors alike have sounded the alarm. They warn that America’s rule of law is under attack as the DOJ appears to be morphing into Trump’s “personal weapon.”
The expanded investigations match the timing of Trump’s announcement of a new “strike force.” This team will investigate the baseless allegations that former President Barack Obama and other top officials colluded to sabotage Trump’s 2016 campaign and presidency. This step further indicates Trump’s intention to continue to install loyalists throughout the DOJ. It amends even more worries that the justice system has been politicized at the highest levels of federal government.
As Trump prepares to usher dramatic changes in his administration. He stunningly announced to reporters that he’ll be appointing new leadership to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) within the next three to four days. This announcement comes on the heels of Trump’s move to fire BLS chief Erika McEntarfer. The change ignites persistent debates over tampering with jobs numbers.
Trump continues to double down on his claims of “rigged” jobs numbers. He recently revised down job growth figures by 285,000 for the previous two months, asserting that these adjustments reflect “the FAKE political numbers that were CONCOCTED in order to make a great Republican Success look less stellar!!!”
“It’s not unprecedented for presidents to deploy their powers for personal ends, but no one including Nixon has done this with the intensity of Trump,” – Peter Shane.
Beyond his newly-found passion for the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Trump has been mercurial if not downright dictatorial in clogging up the arteries of media and messaging. He lashed out at radio host Charlamagne Tha God only last week after coming under fire over the state of his presidency. The former president’s approach has drawn attention as he navigates a challenging political landscape.
At the same time, Trump has suggested making direct payments to Americans funded with new tariff revenues levied on America’s trading partners. Even better, he proposed that ordinary citizens should be able to benefit from dividends, monetary distributions, or other direct payments through these tariffs. This proposal adds another layer to Trump’s evolving economic bad lip reading.
Just this week, Trump decided to send a special envoy to Moscow. He emphasized a necessity of achieving progress by this Friday in order to end the ongoing war in Ukraine. As he stepped aboard Air Force One, he announced that Steve Witkoff would be in Moscow within days. He made clear that getting to resolution is his ultimate goal.
None of that may matter now, because the political landscape has changed rapidly. The U.S. Senate only recently confirmed Jeanine Pirro, now a former Fox News personality and vociferous Trump booster, to be the top federal prosecutor for the nation’s capital. This appointment is further demonstration of Trump’s continued push to embed his loyal, far-right ideology and influence deep into federal law enforcement.
Now, with the recent economic turmoil and underwhelming employment report, administration officials have stepped out to defend Trump’s policies. First, they want to calm the nerves of a jittery public, worried about the state of the U.S. economy.
“You want to be able to have somewhat reliable numbers. There are always revisions, but sometimes you see these revisions go in really extreme ways,” – Jamieson Greer.
Political passions are understandably high, especially amongst Texas Democrats. Thousands have left the state in outrage, arguing that the new congressional map is profoundly gerrymandered. Representative Gene Wu stated, “We’re leaving Texas to fight for Texans,” emphasizing their commitment to opposing what they see as a corrupt special session.
“We will not allow disaster relief to be held hostage to a Trump gerrymander,” – Gene Wu.
Wu further declared, “We’re not walking out on our responsibilities. We’re walking out on a rigged system that refuses to listen to the people we represent,” showcasing the deepening divides among political factions.