DOJ Career Lawyers Resign
🟣 Cover-ups & Obstruction ·
2025, ongoing
Summary
More than 100 prosecutors and career Justice Department lawyers resigned in Trump’s second term, an exodus far exceeding normal turnover between administrations. Many cited political interference, pressure to drop cases involving Trump’s allies, and threats of retaliation for refusing unethical orders, according to a New York Times investigation. The pattern began visibly with the Eric Adams case in February 2025, when Manhattan U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon and six other prosecutors resigned rather than comply with an order to dismiss corruption charges as part of an apparent quid pro quo. Trump separately appointed a ‘Weaponization Working Group’ led by Ed Martin, a Trump loyalist who had promoted the false claim that the 2020 election was stolen and defended January 6 rioters, to scrutinize law enforcement officials who had previously investigated Trump. By September 2025, Martin’s group had produced no prosecutions. Former White House ethics counsel Richard Painter stated: ‘President Trump’s use of federal law enforcement powers against political opponents represents a direct assault on the non-political administration of justice.‘
Key Figures
Institutions Involved
Sources
- US presidency - weaponised Department of Justice investigations prompt concerns over independence
- Trump DOJ’s order to drop Eric Adams case sparks mass resignations