The Trump DOJ's Executive Privilege Memo: A New Era of Accountability or a Power Play?
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The Controversial Memo
According to reports, the Trump administration has issued a memo that expands executive privilege to include communications between the president and private legal advisers.
This move is seen as a power play by the White House, allowing President Trump to keep his communications with outside lawyers confidential.
As first reported by Claire Finkelstein in The Guardian, the memo states that the DOJ will not enforce subpoenas for communications between the president and these private advisers.
This could be a game-changer for Democrats if they win control of Congress next year, as it would give them less access to information about the president's activities.
But is this move really about accountability or is it just another way for President Trump to avoid scrutiny?
Sources
- Trump’s justice department has found a new way for presidents to avoid accountability | Claire Finkelstein — theguardian.com
- Trump executive privilege memo could hamper Democrats if they win Congress — cnn.com
- DOJ Memo on Outside Legal Advisers Strains Hill Oversight (2) — news.bloomberglaw.com
- Trump's DOJ lays groundwork for subpoena fights with a Democratic Congress — axios.com
- DOJ opinion extends executive privilege to president’s communications with private advisers — thehill.com
This article summarises and adds context to the original reporting linked above.
