WASHINGTON – As President-elect Donald Trump prepares his administration, a crucial choice will be selecting the attorney general to lead a Department of Justice that he and his supporters claim was overly influenced by politics during the Biden presidency.

Trump’s connection with the Justice Department has been rocky.

In his first term, Trump sought to obstruct the investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election, which he won. He also pushed for inquiries into unfounded claims of election fraud from the 2020 election, which he lost. After his presidency, Trump faced legal action in two federal cases concerning alleged election interference and the mishandling of classified documents.

The role of attorney general is now considered one of Trump’s most significant appointments.

“He needs to choose someone who will be very critical and instill fear among the department’s staff,” noted Mark Corallo, a former DOJ spokesperson who advised Trump’s legal team during special counsel Robert Mueller’s inquiry into Russian interference.

Trump is likely to pick from a group of loyalists who will support potentially controversial policies, such as mass deportations of illegal immigrants.

“Throughout his campaign, Trump has made it clear that he intends to appoint loyal allies to his government, and this will likely extend to the head of the Justice Department,” stated Wayne Unger, an assistant law professor at Quinnipiac University.

“Ultimately, whoever Trump appoints will probably undermine the traditional separation and independence of the Justice Department from political influence from the White House,” Unger remarked. “Trump has consistently indicated that he will exert substantial control over legal matters as President.”

Here are some potential candidates for the position, drawn from lawmakers, members of Trump’s initial administration, and other appointees, according to media reports and transition team sources:

Senator Mike Lee

Senator Mike Lee, a Republican from Utah, is among the most prominently mentioned candidates. He interacted closely with the Trump administration, even being mistakenly called by Trump during the January 6th Capitol riots while Trump was trying to reach another senator.

Lee corresponded with Mark Meadows, Trump’s chief of staff, discussing ways to contest the 2020 election results. In texts revealed by CNN, Lee expressed “unequivocal support for you to exhaust every legal and constitutional remedy at your disposal,” although he did go on to certify the election results.

Lee has served 14 years in the Senate, is a member of the Judiciary Committee, and previously clerked for Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito.

John Ratcliffe

Another notable candidate is John Ratcliffe, who served as Trump’s Director of National Intelligence and was a Republican House member from Texas.

During Mueller’s investigation into the 2016 election, Ratcliffe defended Trump from his positions on the Judiciary and Intelligence committees.

Later, Trump appointed Ratcliffe to lead the intelligence community, a role Ratcliffe described as “America’s top spy.” Trump

He was awarded a National Security Medal.

Jeffrey Clark

Jeffrey Clark, previously an assistant attorney general, was considered by Trump for the position of attorney general.

Clark discussed with Trump about strongly contesting the outcomes of the 2020 election and even wrote a letter requesting states to probe into allegations that had already been dismissed by other DOJ officials and Republicans. When Trump suggested promoting Clark to attorney general, senior lawyers in both the White House and the Justice Department threatened to resign as Clark had no experience as a criminal lawyer.

During a tense meeting in the Oval Office on January 3, 2021, Acting Deputy Attorney General Richard Donoghue told Clark, “You’re an environmental lawyer. Why don’t you return to your office, and we’ll notify you if there’s an oil spill?”

Clark is currently facing legal challenges alongside Trump in a racketeering case concerning the Georgia election. The D.C. Bar Association is deliberating on the possibility of disbarring him.

Judge Aileen Cannon

U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon was appointed by Trump in 2020 and subsequently dismissed accusations that he improperly retained classified materials after leaving office.

Trump has consistently lauded her as “a highly respected federal judge,” notably during his address at the Republican National Convention. However, some legal analysts have criticized her decisions in the documents case as overly lenient towards Trump, with two of her rulings later overturned by the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Confronting rumors about her potential promotion, Cannon declined to recuse herself from the prosecution of Ryan Routh, who faces charges for attempting to assassinate Trump. Routh cited the “possibility of a judicial promotion” when seeking her recusal; however, Cannon determined that speculation of such nature did not warrant her withdrawal from the case.

Mike Davis

Mike Davis played a key role in guiding Trump’s judicial nominees through the Senate Judiciary Committee and has been a vocal supporter during Trump’s criminal investigations, but he humorously admits that he may have difficulty getting confirmed.

Davis has previously clerked for Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch and worked as a special assistant U.S. attorney under President George W. Bush. He is an assertive advocate for Trump, advising former Rep. Liz Cheney and special counsel Jack Smith to “lawyer up” concerning their involvement in the investigation of the January 6, 2021, uprising by Trump’s supporters.

Davis openly expressed his assertive approach towards political opponents by saying he would “drag their dead political bodies through the streets, burn them, and throw them off the wall” using various legal, political, and financial strategies.

On social media, he humorously remarked, “I’m too charming to get confirmed as Attorney General.”

Mark Paoletta

Mark Paoletta has spent a decade as counsel to a House committee and has a wealth of experience from his time at the White House. He was the legal representative for Ginni Thomas during the House investigation into the events of January 6.

Paoletta held the position of chief counsel for the Energy and Commerce subcommittee and oversaw 200 investigative hearings. Within the Trump administration, he functioned as the general counsel for the Office of Management and Budget, a key agency that manages federal spending and evaluates policy adaptations.

Additionally, he played a role in preparing two Supreme Court nominees and various Cabinet officials for their confirmation hearings. Earlier in his career, he worked as assistant counsel for President George H.W. Bush, contributing to the confirmation of Thomas.

Stephen Miller

Stephen Miller served as a senior adviser in Trump’s White House, actively campaigning alongside Trump to promote strong border security and the mass deportation of undocumented immigrants.

During his time in the White House, Miller dealt with controversial immigration policies, including attempts to ban Muslim travelers and the “zero tolerance” approach towards undocumented immigrants, which resulted in family separations.

Miller would energize crowds at Trump rallies by emphasizing how families had been “torn apart by illegal aliens, criminal gangs, and individuals who do not belong in this country,” as he mentioned on October 27 at a rally in Madison Square Garden, New York. “America is for Americans and Americans only.”

Although he is not a lawyer, since the beginning of Trump’s first administration, he co-founded America First Legal to pursue legal actions in line with his campaign priorities.