The U.S. Justice Department, under President Donald Trump, has significantly reduced its anti-corruption initiatives. This includes relaxing enforcement of laws that prevent companies from bribing foreign officials and directing prosecutors to drop a criminal case against New York Mayor Eric Adams.
The department has also dissolved a program aimed at enforcing sanctions against Russian oligarchs and dismissed veteran prosecutors involved in the criminal cases against Trump during his time out of office.
The decision to scale back enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), which prevents companies from paying bribes abroad, has raised concerns. The law had been a key tool in holding businesses accountable for corrupt practices overseas.
By firing several independent government watchdogs, the administration is challenging key post-Watergate reforms that were designed to prevent government corruption and restore public trust in Washington.
Justice Department officials claim that these actions align with Trump’s policies and aim to address what they see as the misuse of the criminal justice system in targeting Trump and his supporters over the past few years.
Attorney General Pam Bondi explained the review of legal cases against Trump as part of an effort to “root out corruption and weaponization.” Legal experts, however, argue that these decisions suggest a shift toward aligning criminal prosecutions with Trump’s political agenda, departing from traditional, neutral law enforcement practices.
Peter Keisler, a former senior Justice Department official under President George W. Bush, warned that law enforcement must remain neutral and free of political influence to maintain its fairness and credibility. Without this, the system could become a tool for rewarding allies and punishing political adversaries.
The Justice Department did not respond to requests for comment on these developments.
In a surprising move, acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove instructed federal prosecutors to dismiss charges against Mayor Eric Adams. Bove justified the decision by citing the impact of criminal charges on Adams’ 2025 re-election bid and his responsibilities in managing issues like illegal immigration and violent crime. Adams, a Democrat, faces fraud and bribery charges related to his interactions with Turkish officials but has pleaded not guilty.
In a related move, Trump directed federal prosecutors to halt enforcement of the U.S. law that prohibits companies from paying bribes to foreign officials. Trump argued that the law was putting American businesses at a disadvantage against foreign competitors. This pause in anti-bribery enforcement has raised concerns, particularly among lawmakers like Senator Chuck Grassley, who emphasized the importance of maintaining high moral standards in international trade.
Bondi had previously scaled back efforts to counter foreign influence in U.S. politics, citing concerns about the “weaponization” of government power. This move followed the dismissal of cases against Trump associates and others, including former Republican Congressman Jeff Fortenberry, who faced charges of lying to the FBI.
Trump’s administration has also seen a wave of departures from key ethics positions. The head of the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section, which investigates corruption among politicians, resigned after being reassigned to a different office. Additionally, Trump has removed several independent inspectors general and government ethics leaders.
David Huitema, the former head of the Office of Government Ethics, who was fired by Trump, suggested that the president seeks to diminish the influence of ethics watchdogs. Huitema remarked that the president does not want an empowered Office of Government Ethics acting as an independent force for integrity.
While such changes are common in a new administration, experts caution that it is too early to determine their long-term effects. Some of these policy shifts may be temporary, but they are likely to reshape the landscape of U.S. law enforcement for years to come.
Politicians under scrutiny by the Justice Department, like former Democratic Senator Bob Menendez, are increasingly echoing Trump’s sentiments. Menendez, who was convicted in a corruption case, recently described the process as political and corrupt, reflecting growing frustration with the current state of legal proceedings.
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