‘The Most Terrifying Sign’: Ex-Prosecutor Warns of Trump’s AG Pick’s Violent Rhetoric
Brendan McDermid | Reuters
As former President-elect Donald Trump prepares to assume office, concerns about the potential erosion of democratic principles are intensifying, especially with talk that right-wing lawyer Mike Davis could be tapped as the next attorney general. Davis’s recent, aggressive rhetoric on social media has raised alarm bells among legal experts, with former U.S. Attorney Harry Litman calling it “the most terrifying sign” yet that Trump’s administration could target political opponents and weaken the Department of Justice (DOJ) for personal gain.
During an MSNBC interview with host Ana Cabrera, Litman highlighted disturbing comments Davis made on X (formerly Twitter), where he suggested prosecuting Special Counsel Jack Smith—who indicted Trump on charges related to election interference and Espionage Act violations—and dragging political opponents’ “dead political bodies through the streets, burn them, and throw them off the wall.” Litman argued that this kind of language, though technically couched with the qualifier “legally, politically, and financially, of course,” sends a chilling message about what Trump’s DOJ under Davis might look like.
“Smith has been a public servant all his life and there is no real issue that he’s committed any crimes,” said Litman. Smith’s work on cases against Trump, he argued, follows established legal principles rather than partisan agendas. According to Litman, “This is the most concrete scary sign to date that a democratic rule of law in the Department of Justice is about to be completely bulldozed and become a tool of autocracy for Donald Trump and petty revenge.”
Davis’s comments, Litman suggested, are a preview of what could come if Trump’s circle of loyalists is empowered to reshape the DOJ. Litman warned that with Trump back in the White House, “Trump is planning to completely overhaul the [Justice Department], hollow out all of the career staff, and just institute a reign of terror.” Litman argued that nothing would be in place to stop Trump from using the DOJ as a weapon against his perceived enemies, a possibility he claimed is exacerbated by a recent Supreme Court ruling affirming presidential immunity.
Meanwhile, Smith appears to be wrapping up the federal cases against Trump. However, Litman fears that Trump could simply dismiss these cases once back in office, erasing years of investigative work. On CNN, Republican commentator Lance Trover downplayed concerns that Davis’s words reflect Trump’s approach. “That’s not the language that you are hearing out of the president-elect’s team,” Trover insisted, trying to separate Davis’s comments from Trump’s formal stance.
However, CNN’s Jim Acosta quickly countered, noting Trump’s own pattern of inflammatory rhetoric, recalling a recent comment where Trump suggested former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) should face “guns trained on her face” and other controversial jokes involving the media. “We did hear that kind of language from the president-elect,” Acosta said, pointing to Trump’s statements in the final days of his campaign, which included threats toward Cheney and hostile comments about the press.
Despite the backlash, Davis remained defiant, even doubling down on his remarks when he saw CNN’s coverage. “Fact check,” Davis posted on X, “True.” His unrepentant response has only deepened concerns about his potential role within Trump’s administration.
As Trump’s transition continues, Litman’s warning echoes a larger apprehension among many Americans who fear the potential for political retribution and erosion of the rule of law. For those concerned about the DOJ’s future, Davis’s rhetoric and Trump’s track record underscore fears that the administration could lean heavily into punitive tactics against opposition, reshaping the nation’s legal landscape in unprecedented ways.
