The J. Edgar Hoover precedent for weaponizing the FBI
"Yes, we could have a repeat of that," Frank Figliuzzi tells us.
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After serving in the FBI for more than two decades, in 2011 Frank Figliuzzi became the assistant director of the FBIβs counterintelligence division, where he worked alongside FBI Director Robert Mueller. Suffice it to say he saw a lot in his career.
So it should be taken seriously that Figliuzzi, now an MSNBC senior national security and intelligence analyst, describes Trumpβs picks to run what are sometimes referred to as the power ministries β among them the DOJ (including the FBI) and the defense department β as a βhijacking of the entire national security structure.β
βMy chief concern is this single characteristic that seems to run through these nominees β blind allegiance to Donald Trump,β Figliuzzi told us.
We recently connected with Figliuzzi to get his insight on Trumpβs picks and what they signal about how the federal government will operate over the next four years. He warned that βwe could be heading toward tremendous abuses of power, with the FBI going after Trumpβs political enemies.β And he noted that a previous FBI director provided the president-elect and his choice to run the bureau, Kash Patel, with a blueprint.

βJ. Edgar Hoover was found in the 1960s and early 1970s to have repeatedly authorized illegal wiretapping and pursuit of perceived enemies β people he didn't like and people the White House didnβt like,β Figliuzzi said. βNotoriously, the FBI was doing dozens of βblack bagβ jobs β breaking into people's homes, planting evidence, seizing evidence, planting microphones.β
βYes, we could have a repeat of that,β he added. βPeople say, βOh, this wonβt be so bad.β No, it could get really bad.β
A transcript of Figliuzziβs conversation with Public Noticeβs Thor Benson, lightly edited for length and clarity, follows.
Thor Benson
As someone whoβs focused on national security and has a background there, what are your top concerns with Trumpβs choices for national security roles?
Frank Figliuzzi
Sadly, weβll have to rank order them.
Itβs not just that many of Trumpβs nominees are remarkably unqualified for the jobs, and they are β from the DNI pick with Tulsi Gabbard to the DHS with Kristi Noem to Hegseth at DOD and now Kash Patel. But the lack of competence is not my chief concern anymore.
My chief concern is this single characteristic that seems to run through these nominees β blind allegiance to Donald Trump. Yes, there are national security issues with someone like Gabbard or Hegseth β I say national security with Hegseth, particularly, because similar to the concerns about Matt Gaetz, we donβt know what we donβt know. Is there more coming with Hegseth? Is it extortion and blackmail?
Heβs already written a check to a woman in California. What else do we not know about? According to the latest reporting, he appears to have an alcohol problem. Heβs had to physically be carried out of events he attended because he was drunk. Thatβs not good with someone whoβs running things at the Pentagon. Are there more women and incidents out there? According to the New Yorker, he also yells βkill all the Muslimsβ when he gets drunk.
Out of all of the nominees, Kash Patel lacks the capacity to have his own independent thoughts and ideology. His record is replete with nothing but kissing Trumpβs ass. Thatβs it. You donβt have to take my word for it. Look at his public statements about persecuting the βdeep state,β prosecutors, the media, for christβs sake. Combine that with Pam Bondiβs almost identical comments, and weβve now got a Trump hijacking of the entire national security structure.
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Thor Benson
So where does that take us?
Frank Figliuzzi
Well, we could be heading toward tremendous abuses of power, with the FBI going after Trumpβs political enemies. Where have we seen this before? People may call me alarmist, but this isnβt the first time this has happened in the FBI.