Letitia James Delivers Defiant Rebuke of Trump in Electrifying Civil Rights Address

At a charged civil rights gathering hosted by Rev. Al Sharpton and the National Action Network, New York Attorney General Letitia James unleashed a blistering critique of President Donald Trump, weaving fiery rhetoric with powerful religious imagery as she vowed to hold him accountable for what she described as his assaults on democracy.

Before a crowd fired up with energy and anticipation, James defended diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs with impassioned conviction. “DEI is about paid parental leave. DEI is about disabled children,” she declared, raising her voice above the applause. “They’re not just coming after a few of us—they’re coming after all of us.”

With the cadence of a preacher and the force of a courtroom advocate, James thundered: “Faith and fear cannot occupy the same space. I am covered by the blood—and I am not afraid of Donald Trump! Come after me if you must, but no weapon formed against me shall prosper!”

In a moment of personal resolve, she invoked the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., saying it is her “stone of hope” that fuels her every morning. “That fire in my belly—that’s what gives me the strength to face Donald Trump and say, I’m not afraid of you!”

James made it clear that her legal crusade is rooted not only in policy but in legacy. “I will not disgrace my ancestors or disappoint their sacrifice,” she said. “I will wield the law as both sword and shield—to challenge Donald Trump and all he stands for, because he embodies to me sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.”

Her combative posture toward Trump is not new. As attorney general, James has long been a formidable legal adversary, launching lawsuits that have targeted Trump personally, his family businesses, and key aspects of his administration’s policies—from cuts to Title X funding and NIH research grants, to rollbacks of DEI in healthcare and attacks on voting access.

She recently condemned the administration’s halt of federal family planning funds as “cruel and shameful,” and joined a coalition of Democratic attorneys general to oppose efforts she called “unconstitutional” and “dangerous,” especially those aiming to gut DEI-driven medical research and manipulate election oversight.

James’s relentless efforts led to a major civil fraud judgment in 2024, ordering Trump to pay over $450 million. The former president scrambled to post a $175 million bond through Knight Specialty Insurance Company to avoid the state seizing his assets pending appeal.

In early 2025, now-President Trump retaliated, revoking the security clearances of several high-profile critics—including James. His newly appointed U.S. Attorney General, Pam Bondi, escalated tensions further by filing a civil lawsuit against prominent New York Democrats, targeting policies like the state’s Green Light Law, which allows undocumented immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses.

Even after Trump’s reelection—following his defeat of then–Vice President Kamala Harris—James hinted that her investigations were far from over. “We’ve studied their platforms. We’ve created contingency plans. No matter what the next administration throws at us—we’re ready.”

That remark sparked outrage from Trump allies. Mike Davis, a Trump attorney, fired back during a conservative podcast appearance, issuing an ominous threat:
“Let me just say this to Big Tish James—the New York Attorney General—I dare you to keep up your lawfare against President Trump. Listen here, sweetheart: we’re not playing anymore. We will put your fat ass in prison for conspiracy against rights. I promise you that.”

Despite the threats and rising tensions, James shows no signs of backing down. With fire in her voice and history at her back, she has made one thing abundantly clear: the battle is just beginning.