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WASHINGTON (AP) — On Thursday, an oversized banner bearing Donald Trump’s image was prominently displayed on the façade of the Justice Department headquarters. This act underscores the Republican president’s attempts to assert control over a department that once probed his actions.
While Trump-themed banners have appeared at various government buildings throughout Washington, the decision to place one on the historic Justice Department structure marks a notable departure from its longstanding tradition of maintaining independence from presidential influence.
The banner, draped between two columns on a corner of the building, boldly proclaims, “Make America Safe Again.” This slogan reflects the administration’s initiatives to address illegal immigration and curb violent crime.
Attorney General Pam Bondi has positioned herself as a staunch ally of the president, deviating from the approach of her predecessors who maintained a deliberate separation from the White House to safeguard the neutrality of investigations and legal proceedings.
Trump’s aides have dismissed claims of politicizing the Justice Department, arguing that the Biden administration was guilty of such actions by pursuing federal criminal cases against Trump, which were later dropped after his 2024 election victory.
The Justice Department didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on the new banner Thursday.
The Trump administration has opened investigations into a number of the president’s perceived enemies, amplifying concerns that the agency is being used to exact revenge on his political foes.
Federal prosecutors brought charges against New York Attorney General Letitia James and former FBI Director James Comey that were later dismissed, and separately sought to indict several Democratic lawmakers in connection with a video in which they urged U.S. military members to resist “illegal orders.”
The department is also investigating Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell over congressional testimony and Democratic Minnesota officials over whether they obstructed federal immigration enforcement through public statements.