Legal experts say Trump's choice for attorney general, Matt Gaetz, signals the president-elect's determination to tightly control the Justice Department and prosecute adversaries.

Several current and former Department of Justice and FBI officials have begun preparing to be potentially targeted by President-elect Donald Trump’s loyalists. Concerns about criminally investigations by the Trump administration reportedly intensified following the president-elect’s nomination of Matt Gaetz for Attorney General.

Multiple current and former senior Justice Department and FBI officials have begun reaching out to lawyers in anticipation of being criminally investigated by the Trump administration, according to three people with knowledge of their deliberations.

Legal experts view the anticipated investigations as a bid to intimidate and retaliate against perceived adversaries. Some DOJ officials have already begun securing legal representation, anticipating costly battles even if charges are baseless.