President Donald Trump has directed the U.S. Justice Department to mobilize law firms to defend police officers unjustly accused of misconduct free of charge, marking the latest effort to steer the work of private lawyers to his administration's ends.

President Donald Trump has directed the Department of Justice to create a federal legal defense program for law enforcement officers, via a new executive order. This program, according to the President, will establish a mechanism to provide legal compensation and pro bono support for officers facing liability related to their official duties.