Trump Fires all Justice Department Lawyers Who Prosecuted Him

U.S. President Donald Trump has dismissed more than a dozen Justice Department lawyers who played key roles in prosecuting him. The decision, announced on Monday, follows the conclusion by Acting Attorney General James McHenry that these officials could not be trusted to implement the President’s agenda due to their involvement in criminal cases against him.

In a termination letter, McHenry cited Trump’s authority under the U.S. Constitution as justification for the firings. The affected lawyers had been working under Special Counsel Jack Smith, who led two federal prosecutions against Trump before the cases were dropped following his election victory in November. Smith resigned from the department earlier this month.

The shake-up coincides with an internal review ordered by Ed Martin, the top federal prosecutor in Washington and a Trump appointee, into the use of a felony obstruction charge in cases related to the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Last year, the U.S. Supreme Court raised the legal standard for that charge, leading to its dismissal in multiple cases.

Trump’s administration has been moving swiftly to restructure the Justice Department, with several senior officials reassigned, including Bradley Weinsheimer, the department’s top ethics official, and Corey Amundson, the former head of the public corruption section. Amundson, who had advised Smith’s team, announced his resignation on Monday.

These actions underscore Trump’s willingness to follow through on threats to retaliate against those involved in legal actions against him and his allies. Trump and his supporters have long accused the Justice Department of bias, particularly in cases related to national security and election interference.

The department overhaul comes just ahead of a Senate vote on Trump’s nominee for Attorney General, Pam Bondi, scheduled for Wednesday.

Jack Smith, appointed by former Attorney General Merrick Garland, had led cases accusing Trump of illegally retaining classified documents at his Florida residence and attempting to obstruct the certification of the 2020 election results. Trump pleaded not guilty to all charges, framing the cases as politically motivated. Smith dropped both prosecutions after Trump’s election, citing a longstanding policy against indicting a sitting president.