Trump Targets Black Women While His Own Mortgages Raise Questions

December 17, 2025

President Trump has accused prominent Black women officials, including New York Attorney General Letitia James and Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, of mortgage fraud through politically motivated investigations that their lawyers describe as baseless. However, investigative reporting by ProPublica revealed that Trump himself, along with several Cabinet members including Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, engaged in identical or worse conduct by signing multiple primary residence mortgages for properties they used as rentals or investments. Federal prosecutors have twice failed to indict James, with a grand jury refusing to revive charges and a judge dismissing an earlier indictment, yet the administration continues pursuing her while defending its own members' similar actions.

Who is affected

New York Attorney General Letitia James
Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook
President Donald Trump
Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin
Attorney General Pam Bondi
Black women in public office

What action is being taken

The Justice Department is examining Cook's mortgages following a referral
Cook is fighting Trump's attempt to remove her from the Federal Reserve Board
Federal prosecutors are pushing for another attempt to prosecute James despite grand jury refusal
The White House is denying wrongdoing by Cabinet members while insisting identical behavior by critics is unlawful

Why it matters

This situation reveals a double standard in law enforcement where Black women officials who are critical of the president face criminal investigations for mortgage practices that Trump and his Cabinet members also engaged in without consequences. The selective prosecution undermines the integrity of the justice system and demonstrates how criminal referral processes can be weaponized against political opponents. It raises fundamental questions about equal application of the law and threatens the independence of public officials, particularly those serving in positions meant to provide checks on executive power.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The Washington Informer