Few politicians in modern American history have waged a public smear campaign against the FBI with the vigor and enthusiasm of Donald Trump.
In recent months, the former president has equated the FBI with “the Gestapo.” He’s told the public that the bureau is led by “Marxist Thugs.” He’s promoted a piece that referred to the FBI as “the Fascist Bureau of Investigation.” He’s condemned the FBI as “corrupt” and “crooked.” He’s described FBI officials as “mobsters” and a “real threat to democracy.” He’s slammed the FBI as the “Fake Bureau of Investigation,” before accusing the bureau of secretly paying people to “steal” the 2020 election from him, as part of the FBI’s plot to “rig” the election and “illegally change” the results.
Despite all of these tantrums, the Republican did not go so far as to call for Congress to defund federal law enforcement — that is, until this morning. Trump published this missive to his social media platform (it was originally published in an all-caps harangue, but to make it easier to read, I’m converting it to standard capitalization):
“Republicans in Congress should defund the DOJ and FBI until they come to their senses. The Democrats have totally weaponized law enforcement in our country and are viciously using this abuse of power to interfere with our already under siege elections!”
As hysterical nonsense from the former president goes, this morning’s message featured cascading absurdities. Trump was, for example, arraigned in a New York courtroom yesterday as part of a criminal case that has nothing to do with the Justice Department or the bureau. (Perhaps he received another unpleasant briefing from his defense attorneys overnight?)
In fact, every claim in the former president’s missive was ridiculous. No one has “totally weaponized” law enforcement — though Trump certainly tried to do so while in office — and U.S. elections are not “under siege.”
But…
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