These are Trump's targets facing charges and who could be next
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President Trump has begun turning his long list of perceived enemies — ex-officials, prosecutors and critics — into criminal defendants, testing how far political retribution can reach inside the justice system.
Why it matters: Trump's actions increasingly normalize political retribution through the justice system.
John Bolton
Trump's former national security adviser John Bolton was indicted Thursday by a federal grand jury in Maryland for his handling of classified documents.
- The grand jury charged Bolton with eight counts of transmission of national defense information and 10 counts of retaining that information.
- Bolton said in a statement, "For four decades, I have devoted my life to America's foreign policy and national security. I would never compromise those goals. I tried to do that during my tenure in the first Trump Administration but resigned when it became impossible to do so."
Zoom out: Bolton turned highly critical of Trump toward the end of his first term and warned about his fitness for the presidency ahead of his second term.
- Shortly after Trump returned to the White House, he stripped Bolton's security protections. In an executive order, he also accused Bolton of publishing classified information for monetary gain.
Letitia James
New York Attorney General Letitia James was indicted Oct. 9 on charges of bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution.
- She said the indictment was "baseless" and that she was fearless in confronting it.
Between the lines: U.S. Attorney Erik Siebert resigned from his Virginia position last month after he said he couldn't pursue a mortgage fraud case against James. Trump said he fired Siebert.
Catch up quick: In a civil fraud lawsuit against Trump for improper business practices, James secured a $364 million fine that was tossed by an appeals court in August.
James Comey
Former FBI Director James Comey was indicted Sept. 25 and charged with making false statements to Congress and obstructing its investigation of the Russia probe.
- The charges relate to September 2020 testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Flashback: Trump abruptly fired Comey in 2017, initially citing his handling of Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server.
- He later admitted it was because of the Russian collusion probe.
- Before Comey's indictment, Trump posted a message to Attorney General Pam Bondi on Truth Social calling Comey, James and Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), "guilty as hell," and demanding that "JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!!"
Threatened
What we're watching: Trump said more prosecutions are on his radar.
Sen. Adam Schiff: Trump pushed to target Schiff for mortgage fraud, claiming the senator misrepresented his primary residence from 2009 to 2020.
- Schiff led the first impeachment inquiry into Trump in 2019. He was also a member of the House Select Committee that investigated the Jan. 6 riot.
- In July, Trump posted on Truth Social, "Mortgage Fraud is very serious, and CROOKED Adam Schiff (now a Senator) needs to be brought to justice."
Former special counsel Jack Smith led two federal cases against Trump related to his handling of classified documents after he left the White House and alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
- The House Judiciary Committee subpoenaed Smith on Oct. 14 to testify on "prosecutorial misconduct and constitutional abuses."
- "Deranged Jack Smith, in my opinion, is a criminal," Trump said Wednesday at a news conference.
Former FBI Director Christopher Wray, appointed by Trump during his first term, resigned at the end of the Biden administration.
- Trump accused him of "inappropriate" behavior and suggested in a September interview the Justice Department was investigating Wray.
- In 2022, Wray led the FBI through the search of Trump's Mar-a-Lago home as part of its investigation into the storage of classified documents.
- Wray said he chose to resign to "avoid dragging the bureau deeper into the fray."
Go deeper: White House backs Trump's prosecutions, blasts "gaslighting" critics
