The Justice Department announced Monday that it has terminated several career prosecutors involved in cases against former President Donald Trump, escalating concerns over political retaliation in the wake of Trump’s return to the presidency.
The affected officials worked under Special Counsel Jack Smith on investigations into Trump’s handling of classified documents and his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Both cases were dismissed after Trump’s re-election.
“Today, Acting Attorney General James McHenry terminated the employment of a number of DOJ officials who played a significant role in prosecuting President Trump,” a DOJ official told NBC News. “This action is consistent with the mission of ending the weaponization of government.”
Among those fired were career prosecutors Molly Gaston, J.P. Cooney, Anne McNamara, and Mary Dohrmann. The firings come weeks after Trump’s inauguration and his issuance of an executive order aimed at “ending the weaponization of the federal government.”
Trump repeatedly referred to the investigations as politically motivated “witch hunts.” Acting AG McHenry echoed this sentiment, saying the dismissals were necessary to restore trust within the department.
Critics, however, condemned the move as a dangerous precedent. Former U.S. Attorney Joyce Vance called the firings “anti-rule of law” and “anti-democracy.” She warned that targeting career prosecutors could have a chilling effect on the Justice Department’s workforce.
“These individuals were simply doing their jobs,” Vance said. “Firing prosecutors because of cases they were assigned to work on is unacceptable.”
Former DOJ lawyer Julie Zebrak emphasized that federal employees are entitled to due process. “Career civil servants cannot be summarily fired,” she said, noting that employees must be given warnings, notice, and the opportunity to appeal through the Merit Systems Protection Board.
The dismissals underscore a broader effort by the Trump administration to reshape the Justice Department. Trump’s re-election effectively ended the federal criminal cases against him, as DOJ policies prevent the prosecution of a sitting president. The sole criminal conviction against Trump came from a New York hush-money case, where he was sentenced to penalty-free unconditional discharge.
Critics fear these actions will undermine public trust in the DOJ. “The proper functioning of government depends on the trust superior officials place in their subordinates,” a portion of the termination letter read. “Given your significant role in prosecuting the president, the leadership of the department cannot trust you to faithfully implement the president’s agenda.”
The fallout from the firings is expected to include legal challenges, as the dismissed employees may appeal to reinstate their positions. Experts argue that the firings will face scrutiny for compliance with civil service protections and due process rights.
The developments add to the ongoing debate about the balance between political agendas and the independence of career civil servants in the U.S. government.