On Friday afternoon, President Donald Trump addressed the employees of the Department of Justice (DOJ), specifically focusing on the attorneys responsible for defending his policies in court amid over 120 lawsuits. This meeting comes during a particularly challenging week for these lawyers, as several judges have expressed skepticism regarding the government's legal arguments in various cases.
As DOJ attorneys work to defend controversial policies, such as the government's mass layoffs and the Pentagon's transgender service member ban, they have encountered tough questioning from the judiciary. During a recent hearing, U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes posed a pointed question to a DOJ attorney regarding the implications of the service member ban on individuals with gender dysphoria. The attorney struggled to respond, ultimately stating, "I can't answer that question." This exchange highlighted the difficulties faced by DOJ attorneys, especially when they admitted to not having read the scientific studies that supported the ban, as noted in their sworn court filings.
In another contentious hearing in Maryland regarding Trump's mass firings, the presiding judge, James Bredar, pressed a DOJ lawyer on the number of employees that had been terminated. The attorney's inability to provide an estimate, even when asked to clarify whether the number was more or less than 50, 100, or even 1,000, raised concerns. Judge Bredar's persistent questioning revealed a lack of clarity within the government regarding the termination of approximately 20,000 government employees and led to the judge ordering their reinstatement.
In a separate hearing concerning an emergency order to block an executive order impacting the law firm Perkins Coie, the DOJ sent Chad Mizelle, Attorney General Pam Bondi's chief of staff, to advocate for the government's position. Mizelle's defense of the executive order, which prohibits Perkins Coie lawyers from entering government buildings, drew criticism from Judge Beryl Howell. The judge expressed concern over the expansive powers claimed by the president, stating, "That's a pretty extraordinary power for the president to exercise." Mizelle asserted that such measures could be justified if there was a national security risk identified with a particular law firm.
During his address at the DOJ, President Trump made unsubstantiated claims that media organizations and the Democratic Party were colluding to undermine his administration. He urged the DOJ attorneys to remain steadfast in their defense, describing their opponents as "horrible people" and "scum." Trump emphasized the importance of their work, stating, "You just cannot let it happen. You have such a higher calling."
Trump's visit to the DOJ marked a significant departure from the traditional norms established in the post-Watergate era, where DOJ leadership sought to maintain an appearance of independence from the White House on matters involving criminal justice. His remarks suggested a desire for his appointees to take a more aggressive stance against his political adversaries, possibly altering the landscape of how the DOJ operates moving forward.
