Trump Calls on Republicans to Defund DOJ and FBI
03:24 GMT 06.04.2023 (Updated: 03:44 GMT 06.04.2023)
© AFP 2023 / Chandan Khanna
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Donald Trump has had an adversarial relationship with the intelligence community since his 2016 Presidential campaign when the FBI probed alleged ties between the campaign and Russia.
Former US President Donald Trump Called for the defunding of the US Department of Justice and the FBI in an April 5 post on Truth Social, a social media website he owns.
"REPUBLICANS IN CONGRESS SHOULD DEFUND THE DOJ AND FBI UNTIL THEY COME TO THEIR SENSES," wrote Trump. "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 made his statement after his short arraignment in Manhattan court, which occurred after a grand jury voted to indict him on criminal charges over alleged hush money payments made to an adult film star by the name of Stormy Daniels.
Trump pleaded not guilty to all 34 felony charges.
Trump's proposal would be a sharp turnaround for Republicans. In the past, they have supported funding for US law enforcement and criticized proposals to shrink local police departments in recent years.
However, despite the mainstream position of most Republicans, recently some of them have made statements about the need to reduce funding for intelligence agencies and the DOJ.
US Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), chair of the House Judiciary Committee, despite his support for spending on the state police, has advocated reducing funding to the FBI and DOJ, citing the politicization of these agencies among the reasons.
"We control the power of the purse, and we're going to have to look at the appropriation process and limit funds going to some of these agencies, particularly the ones who are engaged in the most egregious behavior," said Jordan in an interview with US media.
His colleague Georgia Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene, also called for "defunding some of these bad agencies-the FBI, the DOJ," also pointing out that she favored cutting their funds.
"I've made up my mind. I will NOT vote for a budget that funds the two tiered justice system in America," she tweeted on March 17. "The Democrat controlled DOJ and FBI top brass are political and have weaponized their power against the right to persecute everyone with conservative values and aligned with Trump, but refuses to prosecute the left for their crimes. The Republican controlled budget must defund the two-tiered justice system and reign in the politically weaponized DOJ and FBI, or I will not vote for it."
However, the relationship between the former President and the intelligence community has been strained ever since he entered the White House
Investigations into the alleged Russian links in the 2016 presidential election.
Public disagreements between Trump and intelligence regarding the Iran nuclear deal, DPRK and climate change issues.
Intelligence community criticizing Trump for allegedly inattentive and unserious handling of reports.
The ongoing investigation into the January 6th events on Capitol Hill and Trump's possible role in them.
Prosecutors have said they intend for the trial to begin in January 2024, which would put it at the start of the presidential primary season. Trump is considered the front-runner for the Republican nomination for president in that year's November election. While the trial will not legally prevent the former president from running or even securing the presidency, it could make campaigning difficult.
