Trump fires DOJ officials who investigated him post-2020 election defeat
The US Justice Department has fired over a dozen officials involved in investigations into President Donald Trump’s actions following his loss in the 2020 presidential election.
These investigations, led by former Special Counsel Jack Smith, focused on two major cases. The first alleged that Trump had attempted to illegally overturn the 2020 election results. The second accused him of mishandling classified documents and obstructing justice after leaving office in 2021. Both investigations resulted in indictments against Trump.
Acting Attorney General James McHenry defended the firings, stating that the officials could not be trusted to support the President’s agenda due to their involvement in the investigations.
A department spokesperson stated that the officials were removed because of “concerns over their alignment with the administration’s priorities.”
Trump and his supporters have frequently criticized Smith’s investigations, claiming they were politically motivated and that the Biden administration weaponized government agencies against conservative voices.
One of Trump’s first executive orders after returning to the White House was to remove individuals he viewed as political opponents. While it is unclear which specific officials from Smith’s team were dismissed, the firings highlight Trump’s effort to reshape the Justice Department.
After Trump’s reelection, Smith dropped both cases against the former President, citing Justice Department policy that prohibits prosecuting a sitting president.
In addition to the firings, some Justice Department officials were reassigned to focus on Trump’s primary agenda, particularly immigration enforcement, according to an anonymous source familiar with the situation.
Meanwhile, Ed Martin, the interim US Attorney for the District of Columbia, has initiated an internal review into the use of felony obstruction charges against individuals involved in the January 6 Capitol riots.
Martin, known for his vocal opposition to these prosecutions, was appointed to lead the DC office, which had overseen these cases for the past four years.
On his first day back in office, Trump signed a sweeping clemency order, pardoning over 1,500 individuals charged in connection with the January 6 attack and dismissing all pending cases.
Martin’s review and Trump’s clemency orders represent significant changes in how the Justice Department will handle politically sensitive cases. A spokesperson for the US attorney’s office declined to comment on the matter.
The firings, first reported by Fox News, and Martin’s review, reported by the Wall Street Journal, signal a major restructuring within the Justice Department under Trump’s renewed presidency.
