“Justice Dept. Targets Judge Howell: Is Her ‘Trump Hostility’ Real or Just a Ploy to Oust Her?”

On March 23, 2025, the Justice Department unleashed a bombshell, accusing U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell of “hostility” toward President Donald Trump and demanding her recusal from a high-stakes case. Howell recently blocked Trump’s attempt to punish Perkins Coie, a Democrat-linked law firm tied to the notorious Steele dossier, and now the DOJ claims she’s too biased to preside. Deputy Associate Attorney General Richard Lawson pointed to a pattern—Howell’s 2023 remarks warning Trump could lead America into authoritarianism, her scorn for his January 6 pardons, and eyebrow-raising rulings, like calling Trump a flight risk in past criminal cases. Is this a legit cry for fairness or a power play to sideline a tough judge?

The case at hand pits Trump against Perkins Coie, the firm that funneled cash from Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign to Fusion GPS, which birthed the Steele dossier—a messy mix of unverified dirt on Trump that sparked years of probes. Trump’s executive order sought to kneecap the firm, banning its lawyers from federal buildings and contracts. Howell hit pause, issuing a temporary restraining order, arguing it reeked of retaliation and trampled free speech. The DOJ’s not having it, claiming Howell’s history shows she’s got it out for Trump, tainting her impartiality. X posts buzz with support for the move, some calling her an “Obama partisan,” while others see it as Trump flexing muscle to dodge accountability.

Who’s the face of this clash? Beryl Howell, stern and unflinching, is the judicial wildcard—her past rulings make her a lightning rod for Trump’s allies. Donald Trump, brash and unbowed, looms large, his shadow driving the DOJ’s push—perfect for a headline that screams vendetta. Or Richard Lawson, the DOJ’s pitbull, whose motion could frame him as the attack dog hunting bias. Howell’s the emotional core, Trump’s the drama king, Lawson’s the strategist. Pick Howell for gravitas, Trump for clicks, or Lawson for the inside scoop—this trio’s a powder keg.