Trump Administration Fires Prosecutors Linked to Federal Investigations

Tuesday 28 January 2025 - 08:35

The administration of President Donald Trump has dismissed more than a dozen federal prosecutors involved in investigations and prosecutions targeting the Republican leader during his time out of office.

Effective immediately on Monday, the terminations affected employees within the Department of Justice, according to anonymous sources. An official confirmed that the acting Attorney General, James McHenry, appointed by Trump, determined that these prosecutors "could not be trusted to faithfully implement the President’s agenda" due to their involvement in prior legal actions against him.

The decision highlights Trump’s longstanding threats of retribution against individuals who scrutinized his conduct, breaking with traditional norms that protect career government employees from political retaliation tied to their work under previous administrations.

Trump began his second term as president on January 20, following his initial tenure from 2017 to 2021. The firings included prosecutors who had worked with former Special Counsel Jack Smith, who led two federal investigations into Trump’s actions before stepping down.

One investigation focused on Trump’s retention of classified documents at his private residence, despite a subpoena for their return in 2022. The second examined his attempts to subvert the results of the 2020 presidential election, which he lost to Democrat Joe Biden, claiming—without evidence—widespread voter fraud. Both investigations resulted in federal criminal charges, filed in Florida and Washington, DC, respectively.

Trump was the first U.S. president, current or former, to face criminal indictments. In addition to the federal cases, he also faced charges at the state level. In Georgia, he was accused of attempting to overturn the 2020 election, while in New York, he was charged with falsifying business records to cover up a hush-money payment to an adult film actress during his 2016 campaign.

Despite 34 felony counts in the New York case, Trump was sentenced to an "unconditional discharge," receiving no penalties. He denied wrongdoing in all cases, accusing prosecutors of conducting a politically motivated “witch hunt.”

The federal cases were overseen by the Department of Justice under President Joe Biden. To ensure independence, then-Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Jack Smith, an experienced prosecutor who had previously worked on war crimes cases at The Hague, as special counsel.

Although neither federal case went to trial, both indictments were dropped after Trump’s re-election in November 2024, consistent with Justice Department policy not to prosecute sitting presidents. Smith stepped down but released a report emphasizing the strength of one case, stating that evidence was sufficient for conviction had Trump not been re-elected.

Since returning to office, Trump has initiated a sweeping purge of federal agencies. On January 24, reports revealed that he had dismissed a dozen inspectors general tasked with overseeing key government departments. Experts have questioned the legality of these removals, citing federal laws requiring a 30-day notice and justification for such actions.

During his inauguration day rally, Trump hinted at these dismissals, vowing to eliminate “Biden bureaucrats.” An unnamed official later described the firings of prosecutors as part of the administration’s goal to “end the weaponization of government.”