DOJ's Politicization Escalates as U.S. Attorney Resigns Under Trump Pressure

A U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Erik Siebert, resigned on September 20, 2025, following sustained pressure from the Trump administration to pursue criminal charges against New York Attorney General Letitia James for alleged mortgage fraud. Siebert, a Trump appointee confirmed in May 2025 with bipartisan support from Virginia’s Democratic senators, confirmed his departure in an email to colleagues that praised the department’s staff but omitted any reference to the political tensions preceding his resignationtitle1^[1]. His resignation comes amid a months-long investigation into James, a high-profile legal adversary of President Trump, who has sued the Trump Organization over civil fraud allegations.

The Justice Department’s inquiry, initiated in April 2025 after a referral from the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), focused on discrepancies in James’s mortgage applications for properties in Virginia and New York. Federal Housing Finance Agency Director William Pulte alleged James had “falsified bank documents and property records” to secure favorable loan termstitle1^[1]. However, prosecutors determined insufficient evidence existed to support an indictment, with one senior official stating there was “not nearly enough clear and convincing evidence” to prove James knowingly committed fraud. James’s legal team has consistently denied the allegations, arguing the claims are rooted in “stale, threadbare allegations” and part of a broader “revenge tour” by the Trump administration.

President Trump publicly criticized Siebert’s decision, stating he wanted him “out” of the position and expressing frustration that Siebert was confirmed with support from Democratic senatorstitle1^[1]. Trump’s remarks underscored the administration’s broader strategy to investigate public figures it perceives as adversaries, including Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook and Senator Adam Schiff. The move has drawn scrutiny for eroding longstanding norms that insulate the Justice Department from political interference. Siebert’s office noted that U.S. attorneys are rarely fired, yet the Trump administration has repeatedly bypassed these traditions, including discharging prosecutors who investigated the president’s 2016 campaign ties to Russiatitle1^[1].

Siebert’s departure follows a contentious internal process. His top deputy, Maya Song, also resigned her role as first assistant U.S. attorney, shifting to a line prosecutor positiontitle1^[1]. The administration’s push to replace Siebert reflects a pattern of replacing officials who resist politically motivated investigations. Ed Martin, head of the Justice Department’s Weaponization Working Group, played a central role in the James case, including sending a letter urging James to resign “as an act of good faith”title1^[1]. Martin’s involvement has raised ethical concerns, with James’s lawyer, Abbe Lowell, criticizing the Justice Department’s “firm policies against using prosecutorial power for political ends”title1^[1].

The case highlights the administration’s aggressive use of federal agencies to target political opponents. James’s 2024 civil fraud lawsuit against Trump and his company, which resulted in a $454 million penalty (later reduced by an appeals court), has been a focal point of Trump’s iretitle7^[7]. The president has repeatedly accused James of bias and corruption, despite the appeals court upholding the finding that Trump engaged in decades of business fraud. Critics argue the administration’s actions risk normalizing the weaponization of prosecutorial power, as seen in the ousting of other Trump-aligned prosecutors and support stafftitle1^[1].

As of September 20, the Justice Department had not announced a replacement for Siebert, leaving the prestigious Eastern District of Virginia office without a confirmed leader. The situation underscores broader concerns about the politicization of federal law enforcement, with Siebert’s resignation marking a significant escalation in the administration’s efforts to leverage the Justice Department for political retributiontitle1^[1].