U.S. Attorney Erik Siebert resigned on Friday from his post as the chief federal prosecutor in Virginia’s Eastern District, stepping down under mounting pressure from the Trump administration to bring charges against New York Attorney General Letitia James, despite a lack of incriminating evidence.

In a farewell email to colleagues in the Alexandria office, obtained by ABC News, Siebert praised his staff for their dedication to public service.

“For the last eight months, I have had the pleasure of leading the finest and most exceptional of DOJ employees,” he wrote. “Thank you for the lessons you have taught me, the sacrifices you have made, and the pursuit of justice you strive for every day.”

Sources familiar with the matter say Siebert was notified Thursday that President Donald Trump intended to terminate his appointment, a decision confirmed by the president during remarks in the Oval Office on Friday.

“It looks to me like she [James] is very guilty of something, but I really don’t know,” Trump told reporters. When asked about Siebert, he added: “I want him out.”

ABC News previously reported that Trump administration officials had pressured Siebert to prosecute James for alleged mortgage fraud related to a 2023 home purchase in Virginia. However, federal investigators found no evidence to support criminal charges, sources said.

Despite the absence of clear wrongdoing, Trump aides continued to push for legal action, prompting concerns over the politicization of the Justice Department.

Trump appeared to acknowledge political motivations for the dismissal, citing the fact that Virginia’s two Democratic senators supported Siebert’s nomination. Siebert, whom Trump nominated in May, had been serving as the interim U.S. attorney since the start of the Trump administration.

The resignation is expected to raise new questions about the administration’s use of the Justice Department to target political opponents. James has led several high-profile legal challenges against Trump and previously won a civil fraud case against him in New York.

Legal analysts and former DOJ officials warn that Siebert’s removal could chill prosecutorial independence and destabilize one of the country’s key federal districts, which regularly handles espionage, terrorism, and national security cases.

Siebert has not publicly commented on the circumstances of his resignation.