There's a kind of brutal honesty to President Trump.

He swore to seek retribution against his political adversaries before he was re-elected.

He swore it openly. And now he's delivering on his promise.

No subterfuge, no soft pedaling, no Watergate-style cover-up, just straight-up hardball payback.

The indictment of former FBI Director James Comey represents an important rubicon crossed.

Never in modern history has the President used the tools of state power so blatantly to punish his foes.

Tonight, what all of this means for the future of American democracy?

Next.

This is Washington Week with the Atlantic.

Good evening and welcome to Washington Week.

We have a lot to talk about tonight, starting with the indictment of James Comey and the wholesale

takeover of the Justice Department by the Trump political apparatus.

But we'll also talk about his pursuit of another foe, the late-night comedian Jimmy Kimmel.

We'll talk about Trump's views on Tylenol and Ukraine and much more.

Joining me tonight at the table, Stephen Hayes, the editor of the dispatch.

Karen Tummelty is the chief political correspondent at the Washington Post.

Ali Vitale is the host of way too early and the chief congressional correspondent for the network currently known as MSNBC. And Nancy Yusuf is a national security correspondent at the Atlantic. I'm sorry, I just have to make the MSNBC's joke every time. Look, if you have to do it, you have to do it. I got to do it.

Our name is what it is for right now. It's like throw clear.

I'm sorry.

Karen, we'll start with you.

Give us the latest on the Comey indictment.

And more importantly, what does it mean for democracy?

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