The New York Times published an editorial accusing President Donald Trump of eroding the rule of law by using the Department of Justice as a tool of political retaliation in his second term.
According to the text, Trump intensified this stance as he approached the anniversary of his return to power, on January 20. The newspaper states that the president began to use the Justice Department’s instruments as an extension of his personal interests, in a movement that included the opening of what he classified as “a fabricated criminal investigation” against the president of the Federal Reserve, in addition to actions against the press and the creation of a fraud-fighting unit under direct control of the White House.
In describing the president’s relationship with the law enforcement system, the NYT argues that Trump not only admits this political use, but does so deliberately. For the newspaper, he “does not try to hide his use of law enforcement powers for revenge” and even “boasts about it”. The editorial cites a Wall Street Journal report according to which Trump personally urged federal prosecutors to be quicker to punish critics and opponents.
Take advantage of the stock market rise!
The text highlights that, in the newspaper’s assessment, these actions have direct effects on the economy and institutions. , states the editorial, compromises the independence of the monetary authority and undermines economic confidence. In this context, the NYT mentions that, last Sunday, the president of the Fed, Jerome Powell, reported that he had been the target of subpoenas in a criminal investigation related to the costs of renovations at the institution’s headquarters, which he classified as unfounded. For the newspaper, the episode serves as a sign of intimidation. “The target on Powell serves to remind his successor that there is a cost to independence,” the text states.
Also read:
The editorial also addresses impacts on press freedom, citing the seizure of his phone in an investigation into leaks. According to the NYT, the measure breaks with traditional practices and tends to intimidate critical journalism.
Continues after advertising
Another notable episode is the death of Renee Good, shot by an Immigration and Customs Service agent during a protest in Minneapolis on January 7. The newspaper states that immediate assistance was prevented, the president published a misleading version of what happened and restrictions on the actions of state investigators, followed by the opening of an investigation against the victim for political activism.
For the NYT, these episodes resulted in a widespread loss of confidence in the Department of Justice. The editorial states that more than 200 career lawyers were fired and thousands left the agency, in an environment described by a former member as the department’s transformation into “Trump’s personal law firm.”
When dealing with the institutional scenario, the newspaper states that, a year into the second term, the United States runs the risk of “losing a central characteristic of our democracy: that we are a country governed by laws, not by a single man”.
