In recent months, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has seen significant changes and controversies, from the ousting of its antitrust chief to high-profile exits in its ranks following a questionable settlement with Ticketmaster. These shifts point to an administration leveraging DOJ influence for political and personal gains rather than upholding the law impartially.

Now, the spotlight turns to the DOJ's latest move—an investigation into the National Football League (NFL) for potential anticompetitive practices concerning its media rights deals. This probe scrutinizes how the NFL’s distribution of games across various media platforms could harm consumers by necessitating multiple subscriptions to follow their favorite teams. The inquiry follows decades after the NFL denied former President Donald Trump ownership of a team, a rejection that reportedly still fuels Trump's vendetta against the league.

The Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961, which allows the NFL to negotiate TV deals collectively, originally facilitated games' broadcast on free television. However, today's landscape forces fans to incur additional costs for cable and streaming services. While Senator Mike Lee and FCC Chair Brendan Carr have raised concerns, prompting discussions on whether this exemption still serves the public interest, legislative action remains stagnant.

Trump's history with the NFL dates back to the 1980s when his attempt to purchase the Baltimore Colts was thwarted. Instead, he acquired the New Jersey Generals in the USFL, only to steer the league into an ill-fated legal battle against the NFL, resulting in a pyrrhic victory—a mere three dollars in damages—effectively collapsing the USFL. Trump’s subsequent attempts to join the NFL fraternity were similarly rebuffed.

Decades later, as president, Trump's interactions and comments have suggested that actions against the NFL could be motivated by personal grievances, particularly following his failure to purchase the Buffalo Bills in 2014. This narrative is further complicated by the exclusive revelation of the DOJ’s investigation by The Wall Street Journal, a publication under the same corporate umbrella as Fox, which is currently engaged in fee negotiations with the NFL.

The administration's selective enforcement of antitrust laws, seen in its leniency with Ticketmaster and a media merger that favored a significant donor, casts doubt on the sincerity of its actions against the NFL. Critics argue that rather than protecting consumer interests, this probe might be another chapter in Trump’s longstanding feud with the league, suggesting a misuse of presidential power to settle personal scores.

As this investigation unfolds, it raises critical questions about the integrity and impartiality of government actions under Trump's influence, highlighting concerns over the use of federal power to pursue private vendettas rather than public good.