Trump Calls for Defunding FBI
Former President Donald Trump is calling on Republicans in Congress to reduce funding for the U.S. Department of Justice and the FBI. This move comes a day after pleading not guilty in court on charges of falsifying business records. It marks the first time in American history that any former or sitting president has been charged with a felony. The charges were brought on by the Manhattan District Attorney and not by federal law enforcement, the primary targets of Trump’s criticism.
Despite past support from Republicans for robust law enforcement funding and criticism of “defund-the-police” proposals, Trump is urging Congress to defund the DOJ and FBI until they “come to their senses,” according to one of his social media posts. It’s unlikely that Trump’s proposal will be implemented, as Democrats currently control the Senate.
Trump’s proposal is a sharp turn from his own policy during his time as president, when he increased the Justice Department’s budget by 4% to $38.7 billion. On the other hand, President Joe Biden is requesting an increase in funding for the department to $50 billion for the fiscal year starting October 1st.
Currently, the Justice Department is conducting two criminal investigations on Trump, one on efforts to overturn the 2020 election results and the other on his possession of classified documents after leaving office. Meanwhile, a county prosecutor in Georgia is also leading a criminal investigation to determine if Trump illegally overturned his 2020 election loss in that state.
The FBI, as the domestic intelligence and security agency under the DOJ, declined to comment on Trump’s remarks. The Manhattan district attorney has charged Trump with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, relating to his alleged involvement in paying two women to conceal their sexual encounters with him before the 2016 election.
Trump sees himself as the Republican front-runner for the 2024 presidential nomination, as opinion polls show his popularity among GOP voters remains high. He has repeatedly accused national and state law enforcement of targeting him for political reasons, and his fellow Republicans in Congress have held hearings to investigate the “weaponization” of the government.
The presiding judge in the Manhattan case has scheduled the next hearing for December 4. Legal experts suggest a trial may not start for a year. Charges or convictions, however, do not legally prevent a person from running for president.
At the Justice Department, special counsel Jack Smith has recently accelerated his Trump-related investigations. Trump has tried to prevent some of his former top aides and attorneys from testifying in Smith’s two inquiries.
Mexico’s President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador expressed his disagreement with the charges brought against Trump, saying legal issues should not be used for political purposes.
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