Daijiworld Media Network – Washington

Washington, Sep 27: US President Donald Trump has escalated his campaign of retribution, with the indictment of former FBI director and long-time critic James Comey marking the most high-profile move yet against his political opponents.

Speaking to reporters at the White House on Friday, Trump called Comey a “dirty cop” and signaled more prosecutions ahead. “I hope there will be others,” he said, describing the action as “about justice, not revenge,” while dismissing accusations of political vendetta as “radical left” claims.

The former FBI chief led the investigation into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election—an inquiry Trump has repeatedly labeled a “witch hunt.” Hours before the indictment was announced, Trump posted on Truth Social that Comey “was a destroyer of lives,” referencing the scrutiny and multiple charges he faced after the 2020 election and the January 6 Capitol riots.

Critics compared Trump’s actions to those of authoritarian regimes, warning that he has abandoned the long-standing US tradition of maintaining a firewall between the White House and the Justice Department. The American Civil Liberties Union condemned the move as “the latest in a series of Trump Administration actions targeting political opponents.”

Trump has reportedly stacked key federal agencies with loyalists, including FBI chief Kash Patel, known for promoting conspiracy theories. He has also openly pressed Attorney General Pam Bondi to pursue charges against critics, a break from norms followed since the Watergate era.

Future targets could include former New York state prosecutor Letitia James, who led a civil fraud case against Trump; California Senator Adam Schiff, who managed Trump’s first impeachment trial; and ex–national security adviser John Bolton, whose home was recently raided by the FBI.

Trump’s rhetoric has grown increasingly personal. At a recent funeral for slain right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, the president declared, “I hate my opponent and I don’t want the best for them,” underscoring his readiness to confront perceived enemies.

Democrats slammed the indictment as an abuse of presidential power. Andrew Bates, former deputy press secretary under Joe Biden, said Trump was “historically unpopular” and accused him of “spitting on George Washington’s memory to dress up like Kim Jong Un.”

With the indictment of Comey and the prospect of further prosecutions, Trump’s vow to “make them pay” appears to have entered a dramatic new phase, shattering long-held norms of American political conduct.