By Steve Neavling
Former President Trump called on Republican lawmakers Wednesday to “defund” the FBI and Justice Department after he was arraigned on 34 counts of falsifying business records.
Trump, who is running for president in 2024, is the subject of two Justice Department criminal investigation led by special counsel Jack Smith.
“REPUBLICANS IN CONGRESS SHOULD DEFUND THE DOJ AND FBI UNTIL THEY COME TO THEIR SENSES,” Trump wrote on his social media platform.
Trump’s rhetoric is unlikely to go anywhere. Democrats control the Senate, and Republicans, who have a majority in the House, have traditionally supported federal law enforcement.
U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, said he supports Trump but opposes defunding the FBI or Justice Department.
“As frustrated as (Trump) has a right to be for what the FBI has done, terrorism lurks out there, and taking your guard down for one moment could be very dangerous for the public,” Graham told reporters, The State reports. “I understand his frustration, but defunding the police is not the right answer.”
