Donald Trump has made a habit of trying to bend the Department of Justice (DOJ) and FBI to his will, ignoring norms and protocols. If he gets another shot at the presidency, he might go even further, forcing these agencies to launch baseless investigations against his political enemies and anyone he deems disloyal. This could inflict lasting damage on both organizations and the rule of law.
After the FBI executed search warrants and indicted him, Trump’s attacks on the agency intensified. He’s even threatened to dismantle the FBI—a move that would leave Americans less safe by creating a void in national security, the intelligence community, and federal law enforcement. Dismantling the FBI would result in an increase in terrorist and espionage threats, child exploitation, corrupt political activity, and gang violence.
Trump, along with media outlets like Fox News and Newsmax, and certain congressional members, continue to push the narrative that the FBI and DOJ are weaponized against conservatives. These claims are nothing more than conspiracy theories based on speculation and fabrications.
As a former FBI intelligence professional, I can attest to the agency’s strict adherence to policies, guidelines, and laws. Any investigative or intelligence activity starts with the least intrusive methods—like open-source research and database checks—and only escalates when there is credible evidence of a threat. Each step requires layers of supervisory and legal review.
For example, an "Assessment" allows limited activities based on authorized purposes. A "Preliminary Investigation" kicks in when there's an allegation of criminal or national security threats. The most intrusive, a "Full Investigation," is only conducted with substantial evidence and legal oversight. This process ensures that investigations and intelligence activity are grounded in evidence not political whims.
If the FBI were truly weaponized as Trump claims, agents could bypass these steps and required procedures, and launch full investigations without oversight, akin to practices in authoritarian regimes like Russia and China. This isn't the FBI we have and I can assure you it is not the FBI we want.
Instead, the FBI operates within a legal framework where actions like searches and arrests are based on corroborated evidence and require judicial approval. The FBI cannot target individuals based on First Amendment activities alone. But Trump’s rhetoric suggests he’d ignore these safeguards, using the DOJ and FBI to settle scores and silence dissent. Trump could use the FBI to target individuals who simply make a social media post disagreeing with him or target someone who speaks out in the media against him and his policies. Normal citizens who speak out against Trump could be the target of unlawful investigative powers to include searches of their homes and electronics, constant physical and electronic surveillance, and harassment.
If Trump dismantles and remakes these agencies to suit his interests, it would be a game-changer. Trump and his allies would gain unfair advantages, while his opponents would be targeted. This kind of selective enforcement undermines the principle of equal justice under the law.
The impact on January 6 insurrectionists would be particularly troubling. Under a Trump-aligned FBI and DOJ, these individuals could escape accountability, encouraging more political violence. Trump has called these individuals patriots, which they are not, and promised to pardon them in a second term. This would set a dangerous precedent, suggesting that violent actions supporting the ruling power are acceptable.
My career goal dating back to the 9/11 terrorist attacks was to join the FBI in order to protect the American people. I was lucky enough to join the most elite law enforcement and domestic intelligence agency, the FBI, in 2008. The FBI’s mission is to protect the American people and uphold the Constitution of the United States. A second Trump presidency would upend that mission where we could see the DOJ and FBI actually used for personal vendettas and political retribution, rather than focusing on significant national security and criminal threats facing our country, thus eroding the integrity of the FBI and our legal institutions. The dismantling of these agencies would not only weaken law enforcement and our intelligence community, but also pave the way for authoritarian rule, threatening the democratic principles that are the foundation of American society.
All FBI personnel take an oath to “protect and defend the Constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic….” Donald Trump poses a significant threat to our democratic republic and the rule of law.
Nate Huber served as an Intelligence Analyst and Supervisory Intelligence Analyst with the FBI for nearly 14 years, working in counterterrorism, counterintelligence, cybercrime, and violent crime.
