The Trump administration has fired over a dozen Justice Department lawyers involved in prosecuting cases against former President Donald Trump, according to an official statement.
Acting Attorney General James McHenry, appointed by Trump, defended the move, stating the attorneys were not aligned with the president’s agenda. He cited their significant roles in legal actions against Trump as justification for the decision.
In a termination letter obtained by Reuters, McHenry referenced Trump’s constitutional authority as chief executive to support the dismissals. The attorneys had worked under Special Counsel Jack Smith, who led two federal cases against Trump before both were dropped following Trump’s November election victory. Smith resigned earlier this month.
The firings align with an internal review initiated by Ed Martin, the Trump-appointed federal prosecutor in Washington, examining the use of felony obstruction charges against individuals involved in the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack. This review follows a Supreme Court ruling that raised the legal threshold for such charges, leading to dismissals in several cases.
This shake-up reflects Trump’s ongoing efforts to retaliate against those who prosecuted him and his allies during his time out of office. Trump has frequently criticised the Justice Department, claiming bias and calling the cases against him politically motivated.
The firings come after the reassignment of 20 senior career Justice Department officials, including ethics and public corruption experts. Corey Amundson, the former public corruption chief, announced his resignation on Monday, citing the reshuffle.
Meanwhile, Trump’s attorney general nominee, Pam Bondi, is awaiting Senate confirmation, with a vote scheduled for Wednesday.
The dismissed attorneys were involved in cases led by Smith, including allegations against Trump for retaining classified documents and interfering with the certification of the 2020 election. Trump pleaded not guilty to all charges, claiming the cases exemplified the legal system’s “weaponization.” Smith dropped the cases post-election, citing a policy against prosecuting a sitting president.
