Schiff calls Trump's escalating attacks political retribution to distract from Epstein files

President Trump accused Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) of mortgage fraud on Tuesday, calling Schiff a "scam artist" who "needs to be brought to justice."Why it matters: Trump's call for Schiff to be prosecuted is part of a larger pattern of the president seeking retribution against Americans who have spoken out against him.What he's saying: Trump wrote on Truth Social that Schiff reported his primary residence incorrectly from 2009 to 2020, which the president called a "sustained pattern of possible Mortgage Fraud.""Adam Schiff said that his primary residence was in MARYLAND to get a cheaper mortgage and rip off America, when he must LIVE in CALIFORNIA because he was a Congressman from CALIFORNIA," the president wrote. "Mortgage Fraud is very serious, and CROOKED Adam Schiff (now a Senator) needs to be brought to justice."The other side: Schiff responded to Trump in a post on X, where he called the president's statement a "baseless attempt" to smear him. "This is just Donald Trump's latest attempt at political retaliation against his perceived enemies," the senator wrote. "And much as Trump may hope, this smear will not distract from his Epstein files problem," referring to the administration's handling of the conspiracy theories around Jeffrey Epstein's alleged "client list."A spokesperson for Schiff said the senator maintained a home in Maryland for easy access to Washington, calling it "routine for a member of Congress representing a district thousands of miles away.""The lenders who provided the mortgages for both homes were well aware of then-Representative Schiff's Congressional service and of his intended year-round use of both homes, neither of which were vacation homes," the spokesperson added. "He has always been completely transparent about this."The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), which makes criminal referrals related to mortgage fraud to the Department of Justice, declined to comment. Why is President Trump singling out Schiff?Catch up quick: Trump and Schiff have had a long-running feud that escalated when Schiff became a well-known leader of the movement to impeach Trump during his first administration.Trump has frequently taken to social media to call the senator names, such as a "sleazebag," one of the nation's "enemies from within" and "Shifty Adam Schiff."Trump also called on Schiff to step down as a U.S. representative in 2019, when he was the House Intelligence Committee chairman. The group had investigated potential Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Schiff insisted there was evidence to show that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia to boost the president's campaign, even if it didn't amount to criminal conspiracy. The committee's probe ended without having found evidence of collusion.Schiff was also a member of the House Select Committee investigating the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol, after Trump encouraged his supporters to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Trump was indicted and charged with conspiracy to defraud the U.S. and other counts for his alleged role in the riot; however, the case was dismissed after he won the 2024 election due to a DOJ policy that sitting presidents can't be prosecuted.Which other Democrats has Trump accused of mortgage fraud?Flashback: The Trump administration referred New York Attorney General Letitia James for potential criminal prosecution for alleged mortgage fraud in April.The FHFA director William Pulte alleged in the criminal referral that James had "falsified bank documents and property records to acquire government backed assistance and loans and more favorable loan terms."James' attorney called the referral "improper political retribution" in a letter dated April 24 to Attorney General Pam Bondi.Context: James successfully brought a $464 million civil fraud case against the president for decades of financial fraud.The president is appealing the decision.What other political opponents has Trump threatened to prosecute or imprison?Former President Biden: In 2024, Trump threatened to appoint a special prosecutor to "go after" Biden and his family shortly after Trump was indicted over his handling of classified documents after leaving office. Former Vice President Kamala Harris: Trump called for his presidential opponent to be "impeached and prosecuted" for the Biden administration's immigration policies at a rally in September. Hillary Clinton: While Hillary Clinton was the Democratic presidential candidate in 2016, Trump repeatedly led his supporters in chants to "lock her up" over her handling of government business using personal email accounts. Former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney: Trump claimed that the congresswoman "should go to Jail along with the rest of the Unselect Committee" in May, referring to her role on the House Jan. 6 select committee. Go deeper: Trump targets political opponents as revenge tour acceleratesEditor's note: This story has been updated with additional statements from Schiff.

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