Trump’s Quest For Political Retribution Is Impeding The Justice Department

The NPR Politics Podcast

NPR

News, Daily News, Politics

4.5 • 24.9K Ratings

🗓️ 1 December 2025

⏱️ 16 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

President Trump has vowed to seek retribution from his perceived political enemies and to reward his political allies. We discuss how that focus is playing out at the Justice Department, where career prosecutors and other civil servants are no longer calling the shots. How does this partisan shift affect major court cases, from redistricting in Texas to James Comey’s prosecution?

This episode: senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, justice correspondent Carrie Johnson, and senior national political correspondent Mara Liasson.

This podcast was produced by Casey Morell and Bria Suggs, and edited by Rachel Baye.

Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey, it's Tam. It can feel impossible to find your next favorite podcast. And hey, we are so glad you're here listening to us at the NPR Politics Podcast. But when you want to switch it up, check out NPR's Pod Club newsletter. Sign up and you'll get fresh podcast recommendations every week, handpicked by the people that live for this stuff.
0:21.5	You can subscribe for free using the link in today's show notes or at npr.org slash podclub.
0:30.1	Hi, I'm Marty, a Puerto Rican Australian.
0:33.8	And I'm Esty, a Canadian Australian.
0:37.0	We're also best mates and moms, and for the last seven days, we've been chasing our youth as we slowly make our way up Mount Kili Manjaro.
0:45.4	Currently, the time is...
0:47.5	139 p.m. on Monday, December 1.000, 1st, Carrie Johnson's birthday.
0:52.6	Happy birthday, Carrie.
0:54.1	Thank you. Things may have changed by the time
0:57.0	you hear this, but hopefully we will be one step closer to reaching the roof of Africa before
1:02.8	joining our husbands and spending a few relaxing days by the beach doing nothing. Enjoy the show.
1:12.3	Does this mean the husbands are already relaxing at the beach?
1:15.4	Does this mean the kids are climbing Kalamajaro?
1:17.6	I don't know the answer to any of these questions, but I can tell you the three of us are not
1:21.3	climbing Kilimanjaro right now.
1:23.5	No, and we're not on the beach either.
1:25.1	Hey there, it's the NPR Politics Podcast.
1:27.5	I'm Tamara Keith. I cover the White House.
1:29.4	I'm Carrie Johnson. I cover the Justice Department.
1:31.7	And I'm Mara Liason, senior national political correspondent.
1:35.0	And today on the show, President Trump's quest for retribution has brought major changes to the Justice Department.
1:41.8	Carrie, you have been following this closely and from the very beginning.
	...

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