Letitia James Is Taking On Donald Trump — Again

NEW YORK — New York State Attorney General Letitia James has joined one lawsuit blocking President Donald Trump’s birthright citizenship ban, is leading another challenging his wide-ranging funding freeze and warned she’d sue if Trump demands local assistance in federal immigration raids.

And that’s just since his inauguration on Jan. 20.

James, who won a major lawsuit against Trump in 2024, is widely viewed in New York politics as a formidable figure whose next move is always top of mind for politicians, labor leaders and operatives. Now they’re eyeing the state’s leading lawyer as she positions herself to defend New York’s interests in a Trump administration. Her perch — a job that comes with nearly entirely self-driven headlines — has made James a talked-about contender for even more prominent roles like governor, U.S. Senator or even mayor of New York City.

Her actions in Trump’s first week — and a recent interview with POLITICO — suggest James is willing to assume a leading role. They also serve to illustrate a glaring contrast between herself and other local elected officials — like New York City Mayor Eric Adams — who have been more muted in their responses to Trump.

James acting as a consistent and visible bulwark against the president would be a relief to many in her party who look to her as a sort of resistance hero who challenged Trump in court when others didn’t. Others see her as occupying a prime position to use her history with Trump as a way to negotiate wins for New York.

“It’s her moment to own,” said Assemblymember Brian Cunningham, a Democrat from James’ home borough of Brooklyn. “And an opportunity for the attorney general to show the power of the office to protect the citizens from any unfair federal attacks.”

James announced on Jan. 23 that she reached a $7.4 billion settlement with a pharmaceutical company for its role fueling opioid addiction. It didn’t have anything to do with the White House, and the message was clear that the other work of the office would continue, even in the Trump era. But before James left the briefing room she read a scathing prepared statement, signed by 10 other Democratic prosecutors, warning they would sue if Trump tries to get local law enforcement to assist in federal immigration raids.

James ad-libbed another line: “We are not individuals who are the face of resistance,” she said. “We are willing to work with the office of President Trump. But when it comes to any violation of the United States Constitution,” she added, “or the rights of vulnerable and marginalized populations, including but not limited to the immigrant communities, we will enforce the law.”

She emphasized her final words to underscore that if she believes Trump breaks the law, she will be there.

James, who was elected attorney general halfway through Trump’s first term, may not like the resistance leader designation, but it fits. Votive candles featuring her saintly presence and coffee mugs bearing her face and a simple message to Trump — “fuck around and find out” — are sold online. She must decide just how aggressive she’ll be at a time when other Democrats nationally are trying to regain their footing after bruising losses last year.

This all comes as Trump and Republicans are pressuring everyone to back off — framed by vows of revenge against enemies.

Among New York Democrats in a position to act as an anti-Trump figurehead, James is unique.

She sued the Trump administration dozens of times in his first term and, according to her count, won 80 percent of the time. Then, she sued Trump, his family members and his company in 2022, accusing him of fraudulent financial practices. James won the case, but Trump is fighting the half billion dollar judgement.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg took on Trump too, but lacks the attorney general’s political seasoning. Gov. Kathy Hochul doesn’t have the same fraught backstory with Trump and is playing nice for infrastructure funding. And Adams is actually trying to align with him.

Even in the state of Sen. Chuck Schumer, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, it’s James who seems to have captured Trump’s attention the most. There is, of course, a potential downside to that.

Trump once again has the power of the federal government behind him. He has said James should be “arrested and punished” and, days after taking office, shared an op-ed on Truth Social arguing he should prosecute James for election interference. Some supporters have been far more harsh.

“I will kill you if you even dare to permanently steal Donald Trumps assets,” a Western New York man texted James last year, as reported in The Buffalo News. He was caught and pleaded guilty to sending the death threats.

“Yeah, my life has been threatened,” James told POLITICO. “But at the end of the day, you can’t be paralyzed by fear.”

Aside from her battles with Trump, James has also bolstered her reputation as someone who takes on bullies — by getting into a high-profile legal battle with former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and taking down the National Rifle Association. And while Adams broke with his party and some of Trump’s former top aides to say the president should not be called a fascist, James wasn’t nearly as shy about applying the label, telling POLITICO in October that he possesses “characteristics that can best be described as fascist.”

Trump has made his case against her into a “Meet Letitia James” page on his website, arguing she unfairly sued him and citing her previous remarks while running for attorney general about “removing this president from office.” James doesn’t regret her words.

“The reality is that was a campaign,” she said. “When you walk into this office you’ve got to leave your political affiliation at the door.”

James has won the argument on legal grounds — Trump’s repeated efforts to dismiss the case alleging political motivations were rejected, and the judge found him guilty of fraud. But Trump may have won the political war. Voters did not find his conduct disqualifying, and James’ case against him served as a pillar to his argument that the elites targeted him.

“I don’t think anyone did more to help elect Donald Trump president of the United States than Alvin Bragg and Tish James,” Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) said on Fox News in January.

James’ case against Trump certainly didn’t stop his comeback, but some in the business community have suggested the president’s desire to forego paying out the judgement could be used as leverage, said Kathy Wylde, a James supporter who lobbies for New York’s corporate giants as president of the Partnership for New York City.

“She’s in a negotiating position,” Wylde told POLITICO, referring to what she’s heard in the corporate world. “If it comes to an opportunity to make a grand bargain on behalf of our city and state, she’s in a good position to lead that effort — if in fact Washington carries through on some of our worst fears, like defunding sanctuary cities.”

It remains unclear if James would pursue such a path, but one question about her future does have an answer: She isn’t running for mayor of New York City.

A robust recruitment effort to get her to make a City Hall run took shape in September and October — with everyone from labor union operatives to members of Hochul’s inner circle pressing James to consider. Adams had just been indicted, and Cuomo was — and still is — considering a run for mayor. James was seen as a trusted, popular alternative to the two scandal-scarred men.

In her most recent interview with POLITICO, James made it clear she’s staying put.

“People asked me, I was humbled by it and honored by that. But right now, I put my head down, and I’m focusing,” she said.

Asked about a run for governor in 2026, she said that’s the year she’ll be running for reelection as attorney general. That probably won’t put an end to the speculation, though. James briefly challenged Hochul ahead of the 2022 Democratic primary, before dropping her campaign months later.

Whether or not a redo of that scenario comes to pass, James’ political future relies on her continuing to focus on Trump.

“The role of being the David versus Goliath would be viewed all around the country,” said former New York Gov. David Paterson. “That could lead to perhaps an elevation for her in a future Democratic administration somewhere, or even a nomination for something greater than what she’s doing now.”

The flip side of that coin are the threats — and they are never far from mind.

A couple Sundays after Trump’s victory, she was pulled up to the altar of Cornerstone Baptist Church in Brooklyn with Rev. Al Sharpton to be anointed with oil.

“Lord, let no harm or danger come around her. Let the threats and the idle words of those become ruined,” said Senior Pastor Lawrence Aker III in a video posted by Sharpton. “Lord we thank you and we just take your word that no weapon formed against her shall prosper.”