Abdelrahman
On Monday, two significant actions by the Trump administration indicated a shift towards a more transactional strategy concerning how the Justice Department addresses corruption cases.
In the evening, President Trump issued an executive order that effectively suspended investigations and prosecutions related to corporate corruption overseas. He justified this decision by claiming that such inquiries undermine America’s competitive stance in the global market. “This pause will undoubtedly open up more business opportunities for our nation,” he expressed, referring to the suspension of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, established in 1977.
Simultaneously, a senior official from the Justice Department instructed federal prosecutors in Manhattan to withdraw bribery allegations against New York Mayor Eric Adams. The rationale provided for this move appeared to pivot away from the actual evidence and leaned more towards political considerations.
These developments on Monday caught many current and former prosecutors and investigators off guard, as they believe the Justice Department is forsaking its longstanding commitment to hold public officials and corporate leaders accountable for corrupt practices. Instead, they feel the department is adopting a strategy focused on political or economic convenience.
On the same day, President Trump also granted a pardon to Rod R. Blagojevich, the former Democratic governor of Illinois, who was sentenced in 2011 for attempting to sell a Senate seat previously held by President Barack Obama. Trump had earlier commuted Blagojevich’s sentence.
Additionally, officials from the Trump administration have terminated efforts aimed at seizing assets owned by foreign kleptocrats, reduced oversight on foreign influence operations in the U.S., and replaced the chief career official in the Justice Department who oversees corruption cases.
