The Justice Department has launched a sweeping criminal investigation into New York Attorney General Letitia James, the prosecutor who famously brought a high-profile civil fraud case against former President Donald Trump and his business empire. The move has sent shockwaves through legal and political circles, fueling accusations of political retribution and raising profound questions about the boundaries between law enforcement and partisan politics.
According to multiple reports from CNN and The New York Times, two grand jury subpoenas were issued by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York. These subpoenas seek information about James’ investigations into both the Trump Organization and the National Rifle Association (NRA). Sources familiar with the matter told CNN that a grand jury probe has convened in Albany, New York, focusing on whether James’ actions in her civil fraud suit against Trump constituted a "deprivation of rights"—a legal term referring to violations of someone’s constitutional rights.
These developments come on the heels of years of escalating tension between James and Trump. In September 2022, James’ office filed a sweeping civil lawsuit against Trump, his adult sons, and the Trump Organization, alleging they had systematically inflated the value of their properties to mislead banks, lenders, and insurers. After an 11-week trial that stretched across 2023 and 2024, a New York judge found Trump liable for fraud and ordered him to pay more than $450 million in penalties. Trump, maintaining his innocence, posted a $175 million bond while appealing the judgment—a process still pending as of this writing.
The Justice Department’s current probe is not limited to James’ dealings with Trump. The subpoenas also cover her office’s investigation into the NRA, which ultimately forced the gun rights group to overhaul its structure. Notably, James’ office also brought a financial mismanagement case against NRA executive Wayne LaPierre, resulting in LaPierre’s ban from serving in any NRA leadership role for a decade. These cases, which James’ office describes as efforts to "stand up for New Yorkers’ rights," have drawn national attention and, unsurprisingly, the ire of those targeted.
The investigation’s scope appears to extend even further. In May 2025, FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed an additional investigation into James, this one based in the Eastern District of Virginia, over alleged mortgage fraud. According to CNN, this probe centers on accusations that James falsified records related to properties in Virginia and New York to secure more favorable loan terms. James’ attorney, Abbe Lowell, dismissed these allegations as "baseless and long-discredited," insisting that the probe is yet another example of political payback.
In April 2025, when news first broke of the Justice Department’s criminal inquiry, James responded defiantly. "I will not be intimidated by bullies," she said in a statement widely circulated by U.S. media. Her office has reiterated its stance, declaring, "Any weaponization of the justice system should disturb every American. We stand strongly behind our successful litigation against the Trump Organization and the National Rifle Association, and we will continue to stand up for New Yorkers’ rights."
The political undertones of the investigation are impossible to ignore. Since returning to the White House in January 2025, Trump has taken a series of punitive measures against what he calls his "political enemies." According to Tag24 and The New York Times, these actions range from stripping former officials of their security clearances and protective details to targeting law firms involved in past cases against him, and even pulling federal funding from universities viewed as hostile to his administration. The Justice Department has also opened criminal investigations into former FBI Director James Comey and former CIA Director John Brennan, both frequent Trump critics, for allegedly making false statements to Congress.
Trump’s animosity toward James was on full display during the civil fraud trial. From the witness stand and in the courthouse hallways, Trump repeatedly lashed out at the attorney general. "This is a political witch hunt and I think she should be ashamed of herself," Trump declared during a day of combative testimony, as reported by CNN. He further added, "You believe this political hack back there and that’s unfortunate," referring to James, who often attended the trial in person.
James, for her part, responded both outside the courthouse and on social media, defending her office’s actions as legitimate and necessary. Her legal team, led by Abbe Lowell, has gone on the offensive, accusing the administration of using federal law enforcement as a tool for political vengeance. "Investigating the fraud case Attorney General James won against President Trump and his businesses has to be the most blatant and desperate example of this administration’s carrying out the president’s political retribution campaign," Lowell told The New York Times. He continued, "Weaponizing the Department of Justice to try to punish an elected official for doing her job is an attack on the rule of law and a dangerous escalation by this administration. If prosecutors carry out this improper tactic and are genuinely interested in the truth, we are ready and waiting with the facts and law."
The ongoing investigation has also drawn attention to the revolving door between Trump’s legal team and federal law enforcement. Alina Habba, who served on Trump’s defense team during the civil fraud case, is now an acting U.S. Attorney in New Jersey—one of several personal Trump attorneys who have since taken up posts in his Justice Department.
Meanwhile, the Justice Department has declined to comment on the specifics of the subpoenas or the grand jury investigation. The White House, too, has remained silent on the matter, despite repeated requests from CNN and other outlets for a statement.
Beyond the immediate legal drama, the case has reignited a national debate over the independence of the Justice Department and the risk of using federal investigations as political weapons. Critics of the administration argue that targeting James and other officials who have crossed the president is a dangerous precedent, one that could erode the rule of law and chill legitimate government oversight. Supporters of the investigations, however, insist that no official—no matter how powerful—should be immune from scrutiny, especially if evidence suggests wrongdoing.
As the grand jury proceedings continue in Albany and Virginia, all eyes remain fixed on the outcome. The stakes are high: not just for Letitia James and Donald Trump, but for the perceived integrity of American justice itself. For now, both sides appear ready to fight tooth and nail, each claiming the mantle of truth and the defense of democracy.
With the legal and political battles intensifying, the nation watches closely—wondering where the line between justice and politics will ultimately be drawn.
