Justice Department Displays Giant Trump Banner at Headquarters, Democrats Decry Move

Overview

• The banner was installed Thursday on the Justice Department’s Washington headquarters and features President Trump with the slogan “Make America Safe Again.”
• A department spokesperson told U.S. media the DOJ is “proud” to celebrate its “historic work” to make the country safe under President Trump.
• Democratic leaders denounced the display, with California Governor Gavin Newsom calling it authoritarian and Senator Dick Durbin labeling it antidemocratic, while former DOJ prosecutor Laura Coates said it is “not normal.”
• The move follows similar banners at the Labor and Agriculture departments and the U.S. Institute of Peace, plus a board vote to add Trump’s name to the Kennedy Center.
• Reports note the backdrop of past DOJ scrutiny of Trump by special counsel Jack Smith, whose cases were dropped in 2024 after Trump’s election win; the White House did not immediately comment.