The Trump DOJ is suppressing free speech.
Michael Castillero ran a pre-IPO investment fund. He was charged with allegedly charging extra fees that he did not disclose to his investors. The evidence showed and the judge acknowledged that the investors made money and “sustained no out-of-pocket losses.” But he’s going to prison because they would have made even more money had Castillero disclosed the fees.
This is the case that the Biden-era Southern District of New York (SDNY) chose to bring criminal charges over. Not a civil suit. A federal criminal prosecution — with guns drawn, assets seized, and a man’s family left in financial ruin. For a fee dispute, Michael Castillero will go to prison.
But it gets even worse. The DOJ is asking the judge for additional prison time because Castille suggested that he is a victim of politically motivated weaponization.
The Prosecution That Trump’s DOJ Inherited and Chose to Continue
Castillero was indicted in 2023 under the Biden administration. He is a Trump donor. He posted memes about the stolen election. He dined at Mar-a-Lago. He frequented Trump properties and was at the announcement when Trump said he was running again. He believed — as tens of millions of Americans believed — that the 2020 election was stolen from Donald Trump. The prosecution continued past President Trump’s inauguration. Castillero was convicted by a New York jury – like President Trump – and is now awaiting sentencing.
After his conviction but before his sentencing, Castillero went on podcasts and tried to tell his side of the story. He suggested that his prosecution was motivated by political weaponization. The SDNY says that is a lie. But they don’t simply deny it in a press release. SDNY went to the judge and demanded that he be punished for even suggesting that the SDNY engages in weaponization.
SDNY is equally appalled that Castillero would suggest that the judges associated with the case were biased. The case was assigned to Obama appointee Judge Jesse Furman and Clinton appointee Judge Lewis Kaplan. Judge Furman is the judge who blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to add a citizenship question to the census. Judge Kaplan is the judge who presided over the ridiculous E. Jean Carroll case where she sued President Trump for defamation for denying her obviously false claim that he raped her in a department store changing room at some unspecified year decades earlier. President Trump called the judges in his cases “abusive,” “rude,” “hostile,” and “totally biased.” He attacked them on Truth Social repeatedly.
“Now, because I want to be at this Witch Hunt 100% of the time and watch what is going on, my attorneys asked the Judge for a one day delay so that I can attend the funeral of my beloved mother-in-law, with my wife and entire family, tomorrow in Palm Beach, Florida, The Judge, angrily, and somewhat surprisingly, said NO, you can go to the trial, or you can go to the funeral, but not both. He is abusive, rude, and obviously not impartial but, that’s the way this crooked system works!”
When Castillero suggests that the same judges were biased against him, the DOJ clutches its pearls.
The May 13th Letter: Criticizing the Government is not Allowed
On May 13, 2026, SDNY filed a letter with Judge Furman cataloguing every media appearance Michael Castillero made since his conviction and asking the judge to punish Castillero for appearing on podcasts and telling his side of the story.
The DOJ is arguing that the following statements are lies that should cost him years in prison:
That he was politically targeted because of his support for Donald Trump.
That the investigators built a case out of nothing.
That his investors were not actually harmed.
That he spent millions of dollars on lawyers.
That the judges showed bias against him.
All of these are opinions or at worst disputable factual claims protected by the First Amendment. But according to the SDNY, these statements are criminal. Or more precisely, it is an aggravating factor that DOJ believes warrants additional prison time.
The Irony Is Staggering
During his own prosecutions, Donald Trump was subjected to gag orders. He called them unconstitutional. He argued that as a political figure facing politically motivated charges, he had an absolute right to defend himself publicly. He defied gag orders. He paid fines. He said he was willing to go to jail over it because the Constitution was more important.
Now his own DOJ is filing letters to federal judges asking for more prison time because a convicted defendant went on Diamond and Silk.
Diamond and Silk. Two of President Trump’s most loyal, most enthusiastic, most visible supporters. Women who campaigned for him tirelessly for years. And apparently, going on their show is now an aggravating factor in federal sentencing.
Does the President know this is going on?
It Is a Lie to Say You Were Politically Targeted
Here is perhaps the most chilling part of the government’s May 13th letter. Under the heading of “False Statements,” the government argues the following:
“Castillero has stated that he was targeted by the Securities and Exchange Commission and by this Office because of his political beliefs and affinity for President Trump. These statements are all false.”
The SDNY is telling a federal judge that it is a lie, not an opinion, but a lie, to suggest that a federal prosecution may be politically motivated. They want him punished for saying it.
Under this standard, every American who believes the justice system was weaponized against political opponents must remain silent — or risk additional prison time for stating that belief publicly. This is not a slippery slope. We are already at the bottom.
President Trump signed Executive Order 14147 specifically to address the weaponization of the federal government against American citizens for political purposes. He ran on it. The American people elected him on it. They elected him despite 91 felony charges across four indictments precisely because they believed the system had been corrupted and weaponized. But according to Trump’s own DOJ, this is illegal speech.
The American people have witnessed the previous administration engage in a systematic campaign against its perceived political opponents, weaponizing the legal force of numerous Federal law enforcement agencies and the Intelligence Community against those perceived political opponents in the form of investigations, prosecutions, civil enforcement actions, and other related actions. These actions appear oriented more toward inflicting political pain than toward pursuing actual justice or legitimate governmental objectives. Many of these activities appear to be inconsistent with the Constitution and/or the laws of the United States, including those activities directed at parents protesting at school board meetings, Americans who spoke out against the previous administration’s actions, and other Americans who were simply exercising constitutionally protected rights.
The prior administration and allies throughout the country engaged in an unprecedented, third-world weaponization of prosecutorial power to upend the democratic process. It targeted individuals who voiced opposition to the prior administration’s policies with numerous Federal investigations and politically motivated funding revocations, which cost Americans access to needed services. The Department of Justice even jailed an individual for posting a political meme. And while the Department of Justice has ruthlessly prosecuted more than 1,500 individuals associated with January 6, and simultaneously dropped nearly all cases against BLM rioters.
Therefore, this order sets forth a process to ensure accountability for the previous administration’s weaponization of the Federal Government against the American people.
Michael Castillero believes exactly what President Trump believes. He believes what tens of millions of voters believe. And under Trump’s own DOJ, he will go to prison longer for saying so. Under Trump’s own DOJ, President Trump’s Executive Order is a lie – worthy of criminal punishment.
Is Todd Blanche Hiding Cases from President Trump
We already know that Pam Bondi was shielded from learning about weaponization cases. The case of Dr. Kirk Moore is the perfect example. In July 2025, seven months into the Trump presidency, the DOJ was still prosecuting Dr. Moore in Utah. Dr. Moore helped patients avoid COVID vaccines. He was facing 35 years in prison.
Leading up to and during his trial there was outrage among the base. People were posting about it every day on social media and holding rallies outside the courthouse. But the DOJ prosecution continued.
Finally, it was brought to the attention of Attorney General Pam Bondi. She admitted that she had no idea the case existed. She only learned about it from a tweet by Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene. As soon as she learned about it, she ended the prosecution immediately mid-trial.
At my direction @TheJusticeDept has dismissed charges against Dr. Kirk Moore. Dr. Moore gave his patients a choice when the federal government refused to do so. He did not deserve the years in prison he was facing. It ends today. This would not have been possible without @RepMTG who brought this case to my attention. She has been a warrior for Dr. Moore and for ending the weaponization of government.
Todd Blanche was her deputy at the time. Did he know about the weaponization case against Kirk Moore and hide it from Pam Bondi? Or else, was he just completely out of touch with the base?
That begs the question, does he know about Castillero and other ongoing cases that appear to be weaponization? Does he know that the DOJ is suppressing free speech?
Whether Blanche is covering for SDNY or just oblivious, the career prosecutors at SDNY do not want President Trump to know about their ongoing weaponization cases. President Trump is a victim of weaponization and has expressly ordered it to cease and desist.
The Attorney General, in consultation with the heads of all departments and agencies of the United States, shall take appropriate action to review the activities of all departments and agencies exercising civil or criminal enforcement authority of the United States, including, but not limited to, the Department of Justice,
Blanche is an SDNY alumi not MAGA
Todd Blanche is a lifelong democrat until 2024, and an SDNY alumni. He was a prosecutor there during the Obama years. He was at SDNY when it prosecuted Dinesh D’Souza — a prosecution D’Souza has argued to this day was politically motivated because he made a film critical of Barack Obama. President Trump pardoned D’Souza.
After SDNY, he became a partner at the leftist activist law firm Wilmer Hale. President Trump put out an Executive Order about Blanche’s former firm describing it as follows:
yet another law firm that has abandoned the profession’s highest ideals and abused its pro bono practice to engage in activities that undermine justice and the interests of the United States. For example, WilmerHale engages in obvious partisan representations to achieve political ends, supports efforts to discriminate on the basis of race, backs the obstruction of efforts to prevent illegal aliens from committing horrific crimes and trafficking deadly drugs within our borders, and furthers the degradation of the quality of American elections, including by supporting efforts designed to enable noncitizens to vote. Moreover, WilmerHale itself discriminates against its employees based on race and other categories prohibited by civil rights laws, including through the use of race-based “targets.”
WilmerHale is also bent on employing lawyers who weaponize the prosecutorial power to upend the democratic process and distort justice. For example, WilmerHale rewarded Robert Mueller and his colleagues — Aaron Zebley, Mueller’s “top aide” and “closest associate,” and James Quarles — by welcoming them to the firm after they wielded the power of the Federal Government to lead one of the most partisan investigations in American history. Mueller’s investigation epitomizes the weaponization of government, yet WilmerHale claimed he “embodies the highest value of our firm and profession.” Mueller’s “investigation” upended the lives of public servants in my Administration who were summoned before “prosecutors” with the effect of interfering in their ability to fulfill the mandates of my first term agenda. This weaponization of the justice system must not be rewarded, let alone condoned.
This is the law firm where Todd Blanche was a partner during Trump’s first term. After Wilmer Hale, Blanche went to Cadwalader, Wall Street’s oldest law firm. They also engaged in similar lawfare to Wilmer Hale. Cadwalader was engaged in the same types of lawfare but avoided the Executive Order by engaging in a settlement with the White House.
Blanche is a typical product of this revolving door between DOJ and White Shoe Law firms. He left to become Trump’s personal criminal defense attorney for his New York case, and probably earned millions leading Trump’s defense team to a spectacular shutout, Government 34, Trump zero, losing on every count. (In fairness, it’s not easy to win a political weaponization case.)
Now he runs the DOJ as the Attorney General. But based on his background, is it any surprise that he is not taking any steps to reform or even investigate possible weaponization cases at DOJ?
He is a product of the system. The elite class that populates the DOJ are his friends and former colleagues. He shares their beliefs and values, not the beliefs and values of President Trump’s supporters. If he did not personally engage in the abusive DOJ prosecutorial weaponization tactics, he is friends with people who have.
This Is Not What We Voted For
The election of Donald Trump in 2024 was a rejection of the DOJ. They branded President Trump a felon, yet the American People overwhelming elected him. The “Justice system” has lost all credibility. People know that it is weaponized against political enemies. The People dismissed the charges against President Trump because they they were a farse. They elected President Trump to fix it.
Nobody voted for more weaponized prosecutions. Nobody voted for more suppression of free speech. We voted for the exact opposite.
Michael Castillero believes he was targeted for his politics. He believes his judges were not impartial. He believes the government fabricated a case against him. He said so publicly on Diamond and Silk. Now he’s going to pay for it.
But President Trump said the same thing in his executive orders. Are those orders illegal too?
President Trump has expressly ordered the end of weaponization. Todd Blanche is not following those orders. As a result, American citizens are still suffering under partisan DOJ prosecutors.
Weaponization is ongoing and free speech is being suppressed while President Trump is in office. Imagine what will happen if he leaves office and Democrats regain power. Websites and podcasts that dare to suggest weaponization exists may become illegal.
President Trump, if you are reading this, please demand an investigation into the case of Michael Castillero and other cases. You can save innocent Americans from the same weaponization that you and your family had to endure. It’s why we elected you. There is still time. Please act before its too late.
The post We Voted for Trump. We Got a Kamala Harris DOJ. The Michael Castillero Case Exposes That Little Has Changed at the SDNY — and Todd Blanche Either Doesn’t Know or Doesn’t Care appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.