U.S. President Donald Trump reacts as he speaks to reporters aboard Air Force One en route to Michigan, U.S., July 27, 2026. REUTERS/Evan Vucci
National Review writer Noah Rothman says President Donald Trump’s DOJ has been diligently laboring to prosecute his perceived enemies, but recent attempted actions by his lieutenants like US Attorney Jeanine Pirro are turning large swathes of American voters against him.
Pirro recently dropped a case against wrongfully accused former Olympic canoeist David Hearn, but that surrender isn’t doing as much damage as the prosecution itself. The issue, said Rothman on CNN’s Saturday morning Table for Five, is that by blatantly targeting regular Americas — over national figures like former FBI head James Comey — Trump is making himself look like a ruthless bully of the powerless.
“I'm trying to put myself in the head of the average voter who maybe can't keep all the Democrats problems with the president's construction problems and projects [in their head],” said Rothman.
“Because they don’t care,” quipped conservative panelist Lauren A. Wright
“But well, but now they do — and probably should — because even if you thought the prosecutions of Letitia James and James Comey were egregious, they were in the game. They took their shots. Trump took their shots at him. But this is different. [These were] civilians who were in the wrong place at the wrong time, were handcuffed and got federal charges because the president needed a scapegoat. That's existential peril there. That's the sort of thing that focuses the mind. And it really should.”
“I mean, who among us has not stuck their hand in the Reflecting pool? It's just a thing that people do,” said Table for Five Host Abby Phillip. “And, yeah, you're totally right that like regular people are looking at this and saying, ‘this is kind of deranged.’”
Panelist Van Lathan, host of the “Higher Learning” podcast, added that he did not understand why people like Pirro and others “give up their entire reputations and their careers” to come work for a man like Trump.
“All of these people will end up being treated like faulty Kevlar, like things that don't stop the bullets and shrapnel from coming to Donald Trump because of the decisions that he's made,” said Lathan. “… There's only one outcome there: He will make a decision that does not fly, and you will be called to fall on your sword. And that day is coming for everyone.”
“It happens all the time,” Lathan added. “His last vice president, they tried to hang the guy.”