Weaponizing the Justice Department

Radio Atlantic

The Atlantic

Politics, News, Society & Culture

4.4 • 1.9K Ratings

🗓️ 2 October 2025

⏱️ 39 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

President Donald Trump is using the Department of Justice to try to punish his political enemies. How much can the president bend the DOJ, an institution built on norms and ethics, to his will before it breaks? In this episode, we talk to the Atlantic staff writer Quinta Jurecic, who covers legal issues, and Benjamin Wittes, editor in chief of Lawfare, about who the Trump administration might target next, what legal strategies might work, and where the judicial system contains some surprising sources of resistance. Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you subscribe. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed analysis and insight on breaking news to fascinating explorations of our world. Atlantic subscribers also get access to exclusive subscriber audio in Apple Podcasts. Subscribe today at TheAtlantic.com/listener. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	11 Labs powers AI voices that don't sound like AI voices, like this one.
0:05.1	11 Labs voice agents are used to handle everything from customer support queries to appointment scheduling.
0:10.4	Get started for free at 11 Labs.io slash Atlantic.
0:19.6	The showdown between Donald Trump and James Comey is what gamers might describe as a 5-5 matchup,
0:31.7	where both players have different but equally impressive skills and advantages.
0:37.7	Donald Trump is, of course, the president, with the power of the executive branch behind him.
0:43.5	The prosecutor Trump appointed to carry out the case, Lindsay Halligan, has literally never
0:49.8	prosecuted a case in her life. So, obvious weakness.
0:54.4	James Comey, the former FBI director,
0:57.2	who was indicted last week at Trump's urging,
1:00.3	is currently just a private citizen.
1:03.0	But Comey has powerful lawyer friends who can represent him.
1:07.0	He knows the system, and he has resources.
1:16.8	Which is maybe why, after he was indicted, he essentially said, game on.
1:24.8	My heart is broken for the Department of Justice, but I have great confidence in the federal judicial system, and I'm innocent.
1:26.7	So let's have a trial.
1:30.6	So that's the immediate news.
1:35.0	But James Comey is, of course, just the beginning.
1:37.9	I'm Hannah Rosen.
1:39.7	This is Radio Atlantic. President Trump's list of enemies, people he said at one point or another he wants to go after, is long.
1:53.0	It includes members of his past administration, Democrats, Antifa.
1:59.5	The same day Comey was indicted, Trump issued a presidential memo directing federal law enforcement agencies to, quote, question and interrogate individuals engaged in political violence or lawlessness. And his attorney general, Pam Bondi, got more specific.
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