Donald Trump and the Department of Justice have a tumultuous relationship to say the least. It's become a focal point of the president-elect's campaign against the federal government. He's threatened to fire many of its employees and frequently brought up issues with the DOJ during his 2024 campaign speeches.
This week, the Justice Department announced its intention to release part of its report on Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election. But officials plan to keep the part of the report detailing his mishandling of files at his Mar-a-Lago resort confidential.
Trump has threatened to fire Jack Smith, the special attorney handling both cases.
As part of our dot Gov series, we take a look at the role the Justice Department plays in our government. What does Trump's vision for the agency look like? And what does it mean for the people who work there?
Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.
Copyright 2025 NPR