President Donald Trump is reportedly preparing to dismiss U.S. Attorney Erik Siebert of the Eastern District of Virginia, after the prosecutor’s office failed to bring criminal charges against New York Attorney General Letitia James, despite pressure from administration officials, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.
The firing—expected to take effect Friday—comes after federal prosecutors found no evidence that James knowingly committed mortgage fraud during the purchase of a home in Virginia in 2023. Trump administration officials nonetheless urged Siebert to file charges, sources said.
Siebert, who was nominated by Trump just this past May, was notified of the president’s decision earlier this week, according to multiple people briefed on the matter.
Legal experts and former Justice Department officials warned that the move could upend one of the nation’s most critical federal prosecutor offices, which handles high-profile terrorism and espionage cases, and further fuel concerns about Trump’s alleged efforts to use the Justice Department to punish political opponents.
“This is yet another deeply troubling step in the politicization of federal law enforcement,” said a former DOJ official speaking on background. “Firing a U.S. attorney for not prosecuting a political rival is unprecedented in modern American history.”
Sources say the administration intends to appoint a successor more willing to pursue charges against James, who led a successful civil fraud case against Trump last year and continues to challenge several of his administration’s policies in court.
The decision to remove Siebert is being viewed by critics as part of a broader “retribution campaign” waged by Trump against political adversaries. Ongoing federal probes have also reportedly targeted Senator Adam Schiff and Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook—both of whom have publicly clashed with the president.
Letitia James, a Democrat, has long been in Trump’s crosshairs. He has frequently accused her of political bias and corruption, especially following her office’s investigations into the Trump Organization’s finances.
“Letitia James is a disgrace to the legal profession,” Trump wrote on Truth Social earlier this year. “She’s not interested in justice—only revenge.”
The dismissal of Siebert marks another flashpoint in the battle over the independence of the Justice Department. While presidents traditionally defer to DOJ leadership on prosecutorial decisions, Trump has repeatedly expressed frustration with officials who refuse to pursue his political priorities.
As of now, the Justice Department has not issued a formal statement regarding Siebert’s dismissal or the status of any investigations involving Letitia James.
