Trump uses FBI and Justice Department to escalate his long-standing feud with Adam Schiff
President Trump is intensifying his nine-year political feud with Senator Adam Schiff by enlisting federal agencies, including the FBI and the Justice Department, to put legal pressure on his longtime critic. According to CNN, Trump’s allies have declassified and publicly released FBI interview notes (302 reports) from a former staffer of the House Intelligence Committee, who claims Schiff directed classified leaks in 2017 to damage Trump. These claims were previously investigated by federal prosecutors but dismissed due to the staffer’s questionable credibility.
At a recent speaking event, Trump declared his expectation that Attorney General Pam Bondi would take action against Schiff, calling the original leak investigation a “hoax” engineered by Democrats and Schiff in particular. Meanwhile, the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), a Trump ally, has referred Schiff to the Justice Department over alleged mortgage fraud—specifically, for falsely claiming a Maryland property as his primary residence to secure better loan terms.
The Trump administration’s approach reflects a broader strategy of using government institutions to target his political opponents. This includes launching legal investigations into Schiff and other Democratic figures like New York Attorney General Letitia James, who Trump has frequently criticized.
Schiff’s legal team, represented by former U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, strongly denounced the inquiries as politically motivated weaponization of the justice system. Schiff himself dismissed the allegations of mortgage fraud and leak-related misconduct as partisan attacks driven by past animosity since his role in Trump’s impeachment and the January 6 investigation.
Key Legal Outcomes
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Declassification of FBI 302 notes—Trump publicly released internal FBI interview summaries alleging Schiff authorized leaks, renewing scrutiny of Schiff’s conduct.
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Mortgage Fraud Referral—A criminal referral has been sent to the DOJ regarding allegations Schiff misrepresented his primary residence for mortgage benefits.
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Justice Department Investigations Launched—DOJ, under AG Bondi, is now examining both Schiff and AG Letitia James, signaling an escalation in political prosecutions.
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Legal Defense Mobilized—Schiff has retained high-profile counsel (Preet Bharara) and both he and James cite political retaliation as the motive behind the probes.
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Systemic Implications—These developments reflect an erosion of DOJ independence and raise concerns about misuse of federal law enforcement resources for partisan ends.
Outlet & Publication Date
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CNN – Published August 18, 2025 (coverage of Trump’s escalating feud with Schiff through FBI and DOJ actions) The Los Angeles Post
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Associated Press – Published last week (reporting Justice Department probes into Schiff and Letitia James) AP News
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Reuters, Washington Post, New York Post – Published last month (on the Schiff mortgage fraud referral and Trump’s public accusations) New York PostThe Washington Post
