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President-elect Donald Trump has signaled intentions to use the FBI and Justice Department as tools against his political adversaries, raising concerns about potential drastic shifts in the department’s independence. Trump has threatened to deploy the Justice Department against a slew of figures, including President Joe Biden, former Attorney General Bill Barr, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, and Special Prosecutor Jack Smith.

Publicly, Trump has pledged to appoint a special prosecutor aimed at investigating Joe Biden and what he labels the "Biden crime family," despite lacking substantiating evidence. During a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, he called for the impeachment and prosecution of Vice President Kamala Harris over assertions related to illegal border crossings. Trump has also leveled unfounded accusations of treason against former President Barack Obama, ex-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, former FBI Director James Comey, and Senator Adam Schiff.

Trump has declared his intent to dismiss Special Prosecutor Jack Smith and prosecute Alvin Bragg, who brought forth unprecedented criminal charges against him. He has also issued a stark warning to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, threatening life imprisonment should Zuckerberg engage in any unlawful election activities, and suggested the possibility of criminal investigations into Google for disseminating negative news about him.

The list of potential targets extends to Trump's former chief of staff John Kelly, who described Trump’s governance style as fascist; Barr, who defended the strength of indictments against Trump; ex-attorney Ty Cobb, who criticized Trump’s ambition; and former Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Gen. Mark A. Milley, who described Trump as "fascist to the core." Ahead of the recent election, Trump intimated potential prosecutive actions against lawyers, donors, voters, and election officials involved in dishonest practices.

Trump’s vision extends to legislative measures, such as seeking Congress’s support to mandate imprisonment for anyone desecrating the American flag, a reaction following pro-Palestinian demonstrations on college campuses. His assertion to "totally obliterate the Deep State" reflects a significant departure from the Justice Department’s longstanding independent tradition since post-Watergate reforms.

Recommendations by Trump allies like Jeffrey Clark and Russell Vought suggest treating the Justice Department akin to other cabinet positions, thus enabling the President to direct specific investigations. Clark, involved in an investigation concerning Trump’s 2020 election interference, is anticipated to assume a DOJ position, while Vought has articulated the conservative belief that federal law enforcement currently biases against them, prompting advocacy for paradigm-shifting policies.

In an April interview, Trump expressed openness to dismissing U.S. Attorneys who resist his directives to prosecute certain individuals, signifying his broader strategy to reshape how justice is administered under his potential leadership.