The Trump administration’s efforts to project political messaging onto the federal agencies that once investigated Trump drew new attention Thursday as a large banner featuring his face appeared on the exterior of U.S. Department of Justice headquarters in Washington.
According to an Associated Press report, the banner was hung between two columns on a corner of the Justice Department building, positioned as a physical display of the Republican president’s push to assert influence over the law enforcement agency that investigated him. The display also included the slogan “Make America Safe Again,” a line used by the administration as it touts efforts to clamp down on illegal immigration and violent crime.
The placement of the banner at the Justice Department, rather than at other agencies in Washington, drew criticism from observers who said it marked a shift away from the department’s long-standing norm of staying at arm’s length from White House control. The concern centered on how such visible presidential support could affect perceptions of independence in investigations and prosecutions.
Attorney General Pam Bondi has taken a role described by AP as closely aligned with the president, in contrast to predecessors who sought an arms-length approach to protect impartiality. Trump officials have rejected accusations that they have weaponized the Justice Department for political purposes, pointing to what they described as the Biden administration politicizing law enforcement through two federal criminal cases against Trump that were abandoned after he won the 2024 election.
In a statement Thursday, the Justice Department said it was proud to “celebrate 250 years of our great country and our historic work to make America safe again at President Trump’s direction.” The agency’s framing of the banner as part of an anniversary celebration stood alongside growing questions about whether the display reflected broader changes at the department.
The banner also landed amid broader scrutiny of the Justice Department’s actions under the Trump administration, including reported openings of investigations into what AP said were perceived enemies of the president. Those concerns have been amplified by earlier cases in which federal prosecutors brought charges against New York Attorney General Letitia James and former FBI Director James Comey, charges that were later dismissed.
In a social media post, Comey criticized the banner and wrote that it was “sickening to see,” while also saying the administration “forgot to cover the inscription” on one side of the building: “Where law ends tyranny begins.” The additional text, as described in the AP report, underscored how the display carried themes about law, authority, and political power beyond the Trump slogan.
The Justice Department is also investigating Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell over congressional testimony, according to AP, and investigating Democratic Minnesota officials over whether they obstructed federal immigration enforcement through public statements. AP reported that Trump officials said the Biden administration politicized law enforcement earlier, while critics have argued the current approach reflects a politicization of investigations and prosecutions under the Trump White House.