'I will not bend the knee': LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman vows to defy DOJ investigation

"Trump hopes that these fraudulent investigations will silence those who stand up to him. He is wrong. I will not bend the knee," LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman wrote on X, following a The New York Times report that the Justice Department (DOJ) is investigating Hoffman and his nonprofit American Future Republic over donations to writer E. Jean Carroll, who successfully sued President Donald Trump for sexual assault and defamation. 

Hoffman noted that Trump was found liable for sexually assaulting Carroll and defaming her by a jury, and argued he was now targeting her again. "Trump cannot be allowed to use the full weight and power of the U.S. Government to come after women who speak up, or anyone who supports them in doing so," he wrote, adding that it is hard enough for women to seek justice, more so against the "most powerful man on Earth."

The billionaire venture capitalist called the accusations against him "absurdly false," adding that the premise of the investigation would be 'laughable if the subject matter weren't so serious." He urged Trump to focus on bringing down gas prices instead of "launching retaliatory lawsuits, demolishing the White House, obsessing over ballrooms, UFC fights, and putting himself on our currency."

Hoffman's defiant thread frames the DOJ investigation as retaliation, coming at a time when the department is widely accused of acting as Trump's instrument for carrying out his personal vendetta. His post reinforces the growing charge that the President is abusing executive power to silence critics. That Hoffman is refusing to back down, with the visibility and resources of a Silicon Valley billionaire behind him, suggests the pressure campaign may not be having its intended effect.

There has been no official announcement on the investigation's progress, but the Times reports that the pace of DOJ activity targeting Trump's rivals has accelerated significantly under Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. The department is considering potential charges of money laundering, obstruction, and conspiracy, The Washington Post reported, adding that a criminal probe into Carroll herself has not been ruled out, even if she is not currently a subject of the investigation. 

The DOJ's interest in Hoffman and American Future Republic stems from their payment of Carroll's legal expenses in her case against the President. The Post reports the department is investigating whether the nonprofit directed Carroll to lie in her deposition about the source of that funding. It is not the first time the DOJ has targeted Trump's rivals; the department recently indicted former FBI Director James Comey over a social media post from 2025.