Trump pushes back on accusations of DOJ retaliation against political enemies: 'We do what's right'

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump on Thursday, February 5, rejected accusations that he was using the Justice Department to retaliate against political opponents, even as he suggested that such power could be justified given how he claimed he has been treated.

The remarks, delivered during his speech at the National Prayer Breakfast, reignited concerns about the politicization of federal law enforcement under his administration.

Trump denies using DOJ to 'get even'

Trump was speaking at the 74th National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday morning when he denied intent to use the Justice Department to misuse the executive branch.

While insisting that he did not direct prosecutions for personal reasons, the president simultaneously floated the idea that he would have the right to do so.

“And then they say, ‘Donald Trump is using the Justice Department to get even,’” Trump said. “And I don’t. But wouldn’t I have a right to?”

Trump also addressed what he described as unprecedented mistreatment during his political career, arguing that no president in US history had faced comparable scrutiny or opposition.

“There’s never been a president in history treated the way I got treated,” he added.

As part of his defense, Trump gestured toward Attorney General Pam Bondi, signaling that prosecutorial decisions were being handled appropriately and independently.

“We don’t do that, Pam, do we? We do what’s right,” Trump said, dismissing suggestions that the Justice Department operated as an extension of his political agenda.

The comment appeared aimed at reinforcing the administration’s claim that law enforcement decisions were grounded in legality rather than loyalty.

Cases against opponents fuel scrutiny

Trump’s insistence that he did not use the Justice Department as a tool of personal retribution collided with a series of legal setbacks involving prosecutions of his political adversaries.

In late 2025, federal criminal charges against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James were dismissed by a federal judge after finding that the interim prosecutor handpicked by the administration lacked lawful authority to bring the indictments.

The judge’s decision, which voided indictments against both Comey and James because the prosecutor’s appointment violated federal law, forced the department to consider appealing and seeking new indictments under properly appointed prosecutors.