Leo Terrell

Andrea Austria / Media Matters

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Leo Terrell was nominated to serve in the civil rights division of the DOJ. Here’s what he’s said about the DOJ and racism in America.

Terrell made a career at Fox News arguing that systemic racism doesn’t exist

Written by Payton Armstrong, Reed McMaster & Jack Winstanley

Research contributions from Jane Lee

Published

President-elect Donald Trump has selected former Fox News contributor Leo Terrell, who has a history of attacking the Department of Justice and denying the existence of systemic racism in the U.S., to serve in the civil rights division of the DOJ. As a contributor at Fox News, Terrell repeatedly downplayed or denied the existence of racism, including by declaring that “systemic racism doesn’t exist” and saying that critical race theory and diversity, equity, and inclusion programs should be “banished under Trump's Administration.”

Terrell also has a history of attacking the Department of Justice, including demanding that “everyone in the DOJ must be fired,” as well as calling the department “compromised” and “in bed with the Democratic Party.”
 

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  • Trump tapped Fox contributor Leo Terrell for a civil rights position at the Department of Justice

    • On January 9, Donald Trump nominated Fox News contributor Leo Terrell to serve as senior counsel to incoming assistant attorney general for civil rights Harmeet Dhillon at the Department of Justice. Terrell would work directly under Dhillon and joins a growing list of administration picks who previously worked at Fox News. [Politico, 1/9/25]
    • As a Fox News contributor, Terrell campaigned against civil rights protections and argued that systemic racism against nonwhite people “does not exist.” Terrell has also criticized many of the efforts to hold Trump legally accountable, calling special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into Trump’s handling of classified materials “politically motivated” and smearing Trump's New York hush money trial as “a political trial.” [Media Matters, 1/10/25]

  • Terrell has an extensive history of downplaying and denying racism in the U.S.

    • Terrell said that “systemic racism doesn't exist, except in the minds of Democrats.” Terrell also argued that “Democrats exploit Black Americans for one reason — for power” and “use Black Americans for power and control.” [Fox News, Hannity, 5/16/22]
    • On Hannity’s radio show, Terrell insisted that systemic racism does not exist because it was “eliminated” after the Voting Rights Act. He stated, “There is no systemic racism in this country. That is a term they keep throwing out every day,” and added, “That's a 1950, 1960s term. It's been eliminated since the Voting Rights Act, Civil Rights Act, Fair Housing Act. They use this as a race card.” [Premiere Radio Networks, The Sean Hannity Show, 7/30/21]
    • On Fox Business’ Mornings with Maria, Terrell stated that “systemic racism does not exist in this country.” Terrell made the argument while discussing immigration, arguing that “Democrats are in a 1965 playbook.” [Fox Business, Mornings with Maria, 10/18/24]
    • On his podcast, Terrell offered an emphatic “no” in response to the question, “Do we have systemic racism in this country?” He added, “We do not have systemic racism. We do not have institutionalized racism.” [KABC, Leo Terrell: America’s Fair Minded Civil Rights Attorney, 4/12/21]
    • Terrell said that he would “make sure #DEI and Critical Race Theory are banished under Trump's Administration!” [Twitter/X, 11/6/24]
    • On Fox, Terrell called “systemic discrimination” a “buzz term” and a “con” while discussing the fallout from the 2020 George Floyd protests. Terrell stated: “Any type of homicide involving a Black person they're going to call racism. … Systemic discrimination is a buzz term used by them, and it does not apply. This is just a con.” [Fox News, Bill Hemmer Reports, 9/10/20] 
       

  • Terrell has attacked the DOJ and its investigations

    • Terrell declared that “everyone in the DOJ must be fired” in response to a post from Kimberly Guilfoyle about DOJ staffers quitting after the 2024 presidential election. He added that “no exceptions” should be made for DOJ staff firings, “including paralegals and secretaries!” [Twitter/X, 11/10/24]
    • Terrell said that there had been “a targeted approach to go after President Trump” by the DOJ and that “the Department of Justice is compromised … totally compromised.” Terrell also claimed that the department has “let Joe Biden and his son slow-walk any criminal prosecution.” [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 1/10/23]
    • Weeks before the 2024 election Terrell called the DOJ’s attempts to hold Trump legally accountable “the definition of insanity” and a “weaponization of the legal system.” He also said that if Trump wins, Jack Smith “is probably going to need legal representation.” [Fox News, Hannity, 10/18/24]
    • Terrell claimed the Biden DOJ “is not fair” and that “Lady Justice is looking through that blindfold.” During a discussion about the DOJ suing Virginia over noncitizens being removed from voter rolls, Terrell said, “This Department of Justice is the most political Department of Justice ever,” later adding, “Everyone knows that this Department of Justice is not fair. It is not impartial. Lady Justice is looking through that blindfold.” [Fox News, America Reports, 10/21/24]
    • Terrell suggested that Hunter Biden and Joe Biden had not been prosecuted because “the Department of Justice, the FBI is in bed with the Democratic Party.” Discussing investigations into Hunter Biden, Terrell said: “Everyone knows that the Department of Justice, the FBI is in bed with the Democratic Party, and they have weaponized the departments.” [Fox News, America Reports, 8/28/23]
    • Terrell claimed that the Department of Justice had created a “double standard for Republicans and Democrats” and was engaging in “selective prosecution.” He added that “the Department of Justice has been weaponized, there is no question about it.” [Fox News, The Faulkner Focus, 6/18/24] 
    • Terrell declared that “the Constitution is an obstacle for the Democrats, the Department of Justice.” He said, “The Democrats do not want the Constitution in existence. Attacking Catholics? First Amendment freedom of religion? And they’re saying, ‘We don't care.’ The Constitution is an obstacle for the Democrats, the Department of Justice, Christopher Wray, Merrick Garland. And they basically want to politicize the federal government. This election is so critical because we need to find out what actually is going in. We need more whistle-blowers. We need more investigations.” [Fox News, The Faulkner Focus, 8/25/23]