Former President Donald Trump continued to denounce the federal government after his arraignment on Tuesday, calling on House Republicans to “defund” the Department of Justice and the FBI until “they come to their senses.”
Trump made the call in a Truth Social post on Wednesday morning, just one day after the former president was charged on 34 counts of falsifying business records in a Manhattan courthouse. Neither government agency is directly involved with that criminal case, which centers on hush money payments Trump allegedly made to adult film star Stormy Daniels to keep quiet about a sexual affair.
DONALD TRUMP CHARGED ON 34 COUNTS OF FALSIFYING BUSINESS RECORDS IN HUSH MONEY CASE
“REPUBLICANS IN CONGRESS SHOULD DEFUND THE DOJ AND FBI UNTIL THEY COME TO THEIR SENSES,” Trump wrote in the post. “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!”
Trump’s comments echo similar statements made by top Republican leaders over the weekend, who suggested Congress should limit the funds that go toward the DOJ and FBI, arguing the government agencies have become politically “weaponized.”
“We control the power of the purse, and that’s, we’re gonna have to look at the appropriations process and limit funds going to some of these agencies, particularly the ones who are engaging in the most egregious behavior,” House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) told Fox News.
An outright push to defund the federal law enforcement agencies would be a long-shot bid in Congress, as it’s likely to receive pushback from several House Republicans as well as Democrats. Even if it did manage to pass the House, it’s unlikely to pass the Senate and would face an almost certain veto from President Joe Biden.
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The calls to defund the DOJ and FBI, even just partially, come as Republicans have sought to criticize Democrats for “soft-on-crime” policies such as defunding the police. The comments also stand in contrast to GOP efforts to paint themselves as the party of “law and order,” prompting criticism from some Democrats.
“As Donald Trump challenges the legitimacy of our criminal justice system, let us give him the equal protection and due process he’s deprived everyone he’s accused of a crime,” Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) tweeted. “Justice benefits all of us.”
