(NewsNation) — President Donald Trump on Friday will give a speech at the Department of Justice on “restoring law and order” and “ending the weaponization of justice,” according to the White House.
Trump is also expected to discuss his plans for “removing violent criminals from our communities.”
The decision to speak at the Justice Department is unusual for a sitting president, though not unprecedented. Presidents typically keep the department at arm’s length to avoid politicizing it — but Trump contends it has been politicized already.
Trump’s remarks are expected around 3 p.m. ET.
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As far as federal institutions go, few have drawn Trump’s ire quite like the DOJ. Trump signed an executive order the day of his inauguration aimed at rooting out what he called “weaponization of the federal government” from top to bottom.
Trump’s 2024 campaign rhetoric focused on the same topics he is expected to address Friday. His presidential run coincided with his own legal troubles.
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Department of Justice overhaul
One of the biggest factors in the DOJ’s changing landscape is who is in charge, and their initiatives.
Trump’s new departmental leadership includes Attorney General Pam Bondi, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI head Kash Patel.
Blanche was once Trump’s personal lawyer for his criminal cases.
Bondi was a senior adviser on Trump’s first impeachment defense team, and she was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his New York hush money criminal trial that ended last May with a conviction on 34 felony counts.
In addition to his conviction for falsifying business records, Trump was found liable for sexual abuse and defamation in 2023.
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During Bondi’s first month in the position, her confirmation hearing promise that the DOJ would not “play politics” has come under fire.
In late January, DOJ officials fired several prosecutors who worked on Trump’s criminal cases, saying they could not be trusted.
“In light of their actions, the Acting Attorney General does not trust these officials to assist in faithfully implementing the President’s agenda. This action is consistent with the mission of ending the weaponization of government,” a DOJ official said in a statement.
Trump has instructed the DOJ to terminate all U.S. attorneys appointed by former President Joe Biden, contending a “clean house” is needed to move forward.
NewsNation partner The Hill contributed to this report.
