Trump Taps Former Attorney to Lead Probe of Political Foes

Joseph diGenova, a Trump ally, will oversee a sprawling DOJ inquiry into prosecutors who investigated the former president.

Apr. 18, 2026 at 11:40pm

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A fragmented, abstract painting featuring overlapping geometric shapes in shades of navy, grey, and red, conceptually representing the chaotic and politically-motivated nature of the Justice Department's investigation.The Justice Department's politically charged investigation into prosecutors who looked into the former president raises concerns about the integrity of the legal system.Today in Miami

The New York Times reported that former Trump attorney Joseph diGenova has been appointed by the Department of Justice to lead an investigation into federal prosecutors who looked into the former president during his first term. DiGenova, a Trump loyalist, will hold the title of counselor to the attorney general and will be based in Florida, where a grand jury overseen by a Trump-friendly judge has been convened.

Why it matters

This move shows how the Justice Department under Trump's control has been willing to embrace politically charged tactics and unorthodox personnel decisions in its efforts to satisfy the former president's demands to prosecute his perceived foes, even as other prosecutors loyal to him have encountered pushback from courts.

The details

DiGenova, a former U.S. Attorney during the Reagan administration, will split time between Miami and Fort Pierce, Florida, where a grand jury overseen by Trump-friendly judge Aileen Cannon has been convened. He will hold the title of counselor to the attorney general and his work will be overseen by another Trump ally, U.S. Attorney Jason Reding Quiñones. DiGenova represented Trump during his efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

  • On April 18, 2026, the New York Times reported on diGenova's new role.

The players

Joseph diGenova

A former U.S. Attorney during the Reagan administration who has been tapped by the Trump Department of Justice to lead an investigation into federal prosecutors who looked into the former president.

Aileen Cannon

A Trump-friendly judge in Florida who is overseeing a grand jury that will be part of diGenova's investigation.

Jason Reding Quiñones

A U.S. Attorney who will oversee diGenova's work in the investigation.

Maria Medetis Long

A career prosecutor who was removed from the case that diGenova is now leading.

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What’s next

The investigation led by diGenova is expected to continue, with the grand jury in Florida playing a key role.

The takeaway

This appointment of a Trump loyalist to investigate the former president's political foes further demonstrates the politicization of the Justice Department under Trump's influence, raising concerns about the integrity and independence of the legal system.