Huge banner
Trump’s likeness now hangs at the US Department of Justice
Updated on 02/20/2026 – 04:48 amReading time: 3 minutes
“Make America safe again”: That’s what Donald Trump promises on a large banner. It was hung at an institution that is supposed to be independent of the president.
US President Donald Trump is now emblazoned as an oversized photo on the outside wall of the US Department of Justice in Washington. The banner, hanging between two pillars on one corner of the building, reads “Make America Safe Again.” The US government uses the slogan to promote its efforts to combat illegal immigration and violent crime.
The Justice Department said in a statement Thursday that it was proud to “celebrate 250 years of our great country and our historic work to make America safe again under President Trump’s leadership.” The AP news agency described the banner as “a visible sign of the Republican president’s efforts to exert power over the law enforcement agency that once investigated him.”
The banner raises the question of whether it is intended to reflect Trump’s influence on the Justice Department. Justice Minister Pam Bondi is considered one of the most important supporters of the president and his decisions. Their predecessors had maintained a certain distance from the White House to protect the impartiality of investigations and prosecutions. Previous US presidents had also repeatedly referred to the independence of the US judiciary.
When Joe Biden called for the perpetrators to be prosecuted after the storming of the Capitol in 2021 by Trump supporters, the Justice Department made it clear that it was making its own decisions about investigations. Biden’s team then made it clear that the president respects the department’s independence and its authority to decide on investigations.
The Trump administration is accused by Democrats of exploiting the Justice Department for political purposes. These include the indictments against former FBI Director James Comey and New York prosecutor Letitia James, both of whom were involved in investigations against Trump.
The Justice Department also took action against Fed Chairman Jerome Powell after he failed to comply with Trump’s demands for interest rate cuts. Democratic MPs who pointed out in a video that soldiers do not have to follow illegal orders are also being investigated. Trump and his followers had previously criticized the statements. In 2025, Trump filed two lawsuits against the Justice Department, seeking up to $230 million in damages in an unprecedented move.
