Donald Trump’s greatest obstacle in exacting revenge on his political enemies may be himself.
The president’s top aides are privately fuming that he is undermining his own agenda with off-script public statements, three Trump officials told Zeteo.
Their frustration reached a breaking point on Sept. 20, after Trump launched into a Truth Social tirade demanding the prosecution of high-profile foes—including former FBI Director James Comey, Sen. Adam Schiff, and New York Attorney General Letitia James.
“Pam,” he began, addressing U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, “Nothing is being done. What about Comey, Adam ‘Shifty’ Schiff, Leticia??? They’re all guilty as hell, but nothing is going to be done.”
Trump then demanded Bondi appoint his personal lawyer Lindsey Halligan as the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, after the Trump-appointed Erik Siebert in place reportedly refused to prosecute the president’s enemies.
Sources told Zeteo that Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche preferred to keep Siebert in the position, but “the president said so.”
Trump concluded his post with a warning. “We can’t delay any longer, it’s killing our reputation and credibility,” he wrote. “They impeached me twice, and indicted me (5 times!), OVER NOTHING. JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!! President DJT.”
Halligan was quickly appointed and charged Comey with making a false statement and obstruction relating to his oral testimony before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on Sept. 30, 2020. At the time, he was heading the investigation into claims of Russian interference in Trump’s 2016 campaign.
But now, some Trump officials fear his Truth Social rant will be used against the administration in court. According to Zeteo, they believe the post was intended to be a private message to Bondi.
“WHY??” one senior Trump appointee lamented after seeing Trump’s post. “There is no need to do the defense’s work for them.”
The White House did not immediately respond to request for comment.
Legal experts, too, have suggested that Comey could seek to have the case thrown out by arguing he is the victim of selective or vindictive prosecution overseen by Trump.
While such arguments are rarely successful—even Trump himself tried to use the tactic to dismiss the numerous legal cases he has faced—retired federal Judge John Jones suggests the president’s blatant revenge tour will work in Comey’s favor.
“It’s a better case for Comey, because the president won’t shut up,” he said on CNN earlier this week. “And that’s admissible, so he’s got a fighting chance, I think, on vindictive prosecution.”
