It is not weaponizing the Department of Justice to demand accountability for those who weaponized the Department of Justice.

And nobody knows what that looks like more than President Trump.

We are not going to tolerate gaslighting from anyone in the media or from anyone on the other side who is trying to say that it's the president who is weaponizing the DOJ.

It was Joe Biden and his attorney

general. Hello, and welcome to USA Today's The Excerpt. I'm Dana Taylor. Today is Sunday, September 28th,

2025. That was press secretary Carolyn Levitt speaking at the White House press briefing last Monday.

A couple of days earlier, President Donald Trump had posted on truth social what some would describe as a chilling demand, appearing to publicly pressure his attorney general Pam Bondi.

Quote, we can't delay any longer. It's killing our reputation and credibility, end quote. And then later in all caps, quote, justice must be served now, end quote.

Former FBI director James Comey has now been indicted. Who might be next is the Trump administration now

weaponizing the Department of Justice in order to seek retribution from his political foes.

For more on this developing story, I'm now joined by Chief Political Correspondent,

Philip M. Bailey.

Philip, it's always good to have you one.

Dana, as always, how are you?

Let's unpack this in stages here.

First, let's start with Trump's post last weekend.

Did this mark a change in tone?

And if so, how? Not really a change in tone? And if so, how?

Not really a change in tone. Look, Donald Trump, who's been in our politics now for about 10

years, has always been someone who has picked fights with people who he feels have been his

political rivals or personal foes. I do think, though, that the president is amping up pressure,

public pressure on his administration to punish these longstanding rivals and other political

...