A large banner bearing US President Donald Trump’s face was hung outside the Justice Department headquarters in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, in a show of authority over the law enforcement agency that was once investigating him.
The banner was hung between two columns in one corner of the building and read “Make America Safe Again,” a slogan the Trump administration has long used to promote its efforts to crack down on illegal immigration and violent crime.
This was also seen as a symbol of a shift away from the department’s tradition of independence from White House control, the Associated Press reported.
Attorney General Pam Bondi has positioned herself as Trump’s chief supporter and protector, shifting from her predecessors’ position of staying away from the White House to protect the integrity of investigations and prosecutions.
Meanwhile, the White House rejected accusations of using the department as a weapon for political purposes. Trump administration officials claimed that it was the Biden administration that used the agency for its purpose, as two federal criminal cases against Trump were abandoned after he won the 2024 election.
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Criticizing the sign, former FBI Director James Comey took to Instagram and said the sign was “disgusting.” He also sarcastically noted that the administration “forgot to cover up the inscription” on one side of the building that reads: “Where law ends, tyranny begins.”
On Thursday, the Justice Department said in a statement that it was proud to “celebrate the 250th anniversary of our great country and our historic work to make America safe again at the direction of President Trump,” the Associated Press reported.
The Trump administration has opened investigations into a number of the president’s perceived enemies, raising fears that the agency will be used for retaliation.
Reuters reported that banners bearing images of Trump were hung in several institutions last year, including the buildings of the Department of Labor, the Department of Agriculture and the US Institute of Peace.
The Trump-appointed board of directors voted last December to add Trump’s name to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Last year, Trump’s name was plastered on the US Institute of Peace building in Washington.
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