Mar 4, 2026 - Politics & Policy

Sneak peek: Devlin Barrett book, "The Department of Revenge"

Andrew Pantazi

Devlin Barrett — who covers the Justice Department and FBI for the N.Y. Times, and is a three-time Pulitzer winner — will be out July 14 with "The Department of Revenge: How Trump Took Control of American Justice."

Why it matters: Trump has turned the DOJ into one of his most aggressive weapons in his second term — and Barrett delivers the first detailed account of how it happened.

Barrett tells Axios: "Trump and the Justice Department have been on a collision course for years, and as a longtime law enforcement reporter, I thought it was absolutely critical that a book document the moment of impact and its aftermath."

"The book starts on Day 1 of Trump's hostile takeover of the Justice Department in January 2025 and covers the tumultuous first year of FBI purges, criminal charges, and behind-the-scenes battles."

More on the book.

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Sneak peek: Devlin Barrett book, "The Department of Revenge"

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