As a large banner featuring President Donald Trump’s face went up on the exterior of U.S. Department of Justice headquarters on Thursday, it offered a highly visible sign of how the Trump administration is seeking to align the agency with its political agenda, according to reporting on the move.
The banner hung on the storied Justice Department building in Washington between two columns on one corner of the structure, a placement that drew comparisons to how Trump banners have appeared outside other agencies in the city. In this case, the decision to mount the banner on the Justice Department building was described as a symbol of what critics view as a weakening of the department’s tradition of independence from White House control. The banner’s message, “Make America Safe Again,” echoed the administration’s efforts to clamp down on illegal immigration and violent crime.
Attorney General Pam Bondi has positioned herself as President Trump’s chief supporter of the Justice Department’s direction, including by taking an approach that differs from predecessors who sought to keep investigations and prosecutions at arms-length from White House influence, according to the report. Trump officials have rejected accusations that the Justice Department is being used for political purposes, arguing that the Biden administration politicized law enforcement with federal criminal cases against Trump that were later abandoned after he won the 2024 election.
In a statement Thursday, the Justice Department said it is proud to “celebrate 250 years of our great country and our historic work to make America safe again at President Trump’s direction.” The statement framed the banner as part of a commemoration tied to the agency’s history, while critics said the display is still difficult to separate from the political context around the department.
The banner also landed as the Justice Department opened investigations into multiple perceived enemies of the president, a pattern that has amplified concerns that the agency is being used to exact revenge on political foes. The report described federal prosecutors bringing charges against New York Attorney General Letitia James and former FBI Director James Comey that were later dismissed, and it also said prosecutors sought to indict Democratic lawmakers in connection with a video in which they urged U.S. military members to resist “illegal orders.”
Comey, in a social media post, said the banner was “sickening to see,” and he added that the administration “forgot to cover the inscription” on one side of the building that says, “Where law ends tyranny begins.” The exchange underscored how the physical display became part of a wider debate over whether law enforcement actions are being carried out independently.
The report also said the Justice Department is investigating Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell over congressional testimony and Democratic Minnesota officials over whether they obstructed federal immigration enforcement through public statements. Taken together, the Justice Department’s investigations and high-visibility signage have raised questions, including among critics and former officials, about how closely political priorities are now reflected in the agency’s operations.