NY AG Letitia James Vows Continued Legal Fights Against Trump Administration
At a civil rights gathering led by Rev. Al Sharpton, New York Attorney General Letitia James gave a passionate speech laced with strong religious overtones, accusing President Donald Trump of promoting division and threatening the principles of democracy.
Speaking at the National Action Network event, James, who is actively involved in numerous legal disputes with Trump, voiced strong support for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs—framing them as wide-reaching policies that impact everyday lives.
“DEI is about paid parental leave. DEI is about disabled children,” she emphasized with intensity. “Let them know that they’re not only coming after us, but they’re coming after all of us.”
Raising her voice in defiance, she continued: “Faith and fear can never share the same space.” She added, “I’m covered by the blood, and I’m not afraid of Donald Trump! You can come after me, but no enemy, nothing formed against me will perish!”
James also doubled down on her commitment to legally challenge the Trump administration, describing her efforts as a personal and purposeful mission.
“It’s that stone of hope that gives me a fire in my belly each and every morning,” she declared, referencing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. before turning directly toward Trump. “It’s that stone of hope that allows me to wake up and to stand to Donald Trump and to say, Donald Trump, I’m not afraid of you.”
She continued, “I am not going to disgrace [my ancestors] and disappoint them. I am going to use the law both as a sword and as a shield and challenge Donald Trump… because he represents to me sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.”
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James’s confrontational stance toward Trump has long been a hallmark of her office. She’s brought numerous lawsuits against him, his business empire, and his policies. From challenging executive orders to opposing cuts in Title X and NIH funding, she’s made it clear that the Trump presidency is a central focus of her legal agenda.
Among her most recent legal maneuvers, James filed suit against the administration’s decision to end federal family planning funding, condemning the action as “cruel and shameful.” She also collaborated with other Democratic attorneys general to oppose the administration’s attempts to reduce DEI-driven medical research and to revise election protocols through executive action—measures she slammed as “unconstitutional” and “dangerous.”
In 2024, James secured a civil fraud ruling requiring Trump to pay over $450 million. He later posted a $175 million bond through Knight Specialty Insurance Company while appealing the verdict to prevent the state from seizing his assets.
By February 2025, now-President Trump was again making headlines after rescinding security clearances from several individuals, including James.
That same month, his new Attorney General, Pam Bondi, filed a civil case targeting top Democrats in New York—including James and Governor Kathy Hochul—criticizing the state’s immigration policies, especially the Green Light Law, which permits undocumented immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses.
Following Trump’s 2024 electoral win over former Vice President Kamala Harris, James hinted at continued legal actions during a media briefing.
“So here we are. We’ve studied their platforms. We’ve identified certain possibilities, fact patterns. We’ve created contingency plans. So no matter what the next administration throws at us, we’re ready,” she said.
Those remarks quickly drew a fiery response from Trump ally and attorney Mike Davis, who, in an appearance on conservative host Bennie Johnson’s show, issued a warning of his own.
“Let me just say this to Big Tish James, the New York Attorney General. I dare you to continue your lawfare against President Trump!” he exclaimed. “Listen here, sweetheart, we’re not messing around this time, and we will put your fat a in prison for conspiracy against rights. I promise you that.”