Bondi’s DOJ Firings and Exits Erase Centuries of Experience as Career Prosecutors Purged Over Trump-Era Cases
An aggressive wave of firings and resignations at Attorney General Bondi’s Justice Department has removed what watchdogs estimate as more than 230 DOJ lawyers and roughly 6,400 overall departures in 2025 — erasing “centuries of combined experience” across national security, civil‑rights, environmental, ethics and Jan. 6 prosecutions, former acting AG Stuart Gerson warned. The purge has included veteran counterterrorism prosecutor Michael Ben'Ary, whose DOJ phone was remotely disabled and who was fired mid‑case after a right‑wing commentator highlighted his past work under Deputy AG Lisa Monaco, and the formal termination of multiple Minnesota AUSAs (including No. 2 Joseph Thompson) amid a dispute over the ICE‑shooting probe while the FBI excludes local prosecutors and state leaders launch parallel investigations.
📌 Key Facts
- Justice Connection estimates that more than 230 DOJ lawyers, agents and other employees were fired in 2025 and roughly 6,400 employees left the department overall (out of about 108,000 staff), a loss described as erasing “centuries of combined experience” across areas such as national security, civil rights, ethics, environmental enforcement and Jan. 6 prosecutions.
- Independent reporting and AP documents show the firings and resignations have hit prosecutors and staff who handled Jan. 6 cases, civil‑rights and environmental enforcement, ethics, counterterrorism, immigration matters, and attorneys who defended administration policies — not only Minnesota or ICE‑related matters.
- Former acting attorney general Stuart Gerson warned that losing seasoned career lawyers who ‘never viewed themselves as political’ is ‘immensely damaging to the public interest,’ an on‑the‑record critique of the purge under Attorney General Bondi.
- In Minnesota, five federal AUSAs — including Joseph Thompson (the office’s No. 2) — were formally terminated rather than placed on paid leave, and several other Minnesota prosecutors moved to resign amid turmoil over the ICE shooting investigation.
- Joseph Thompson had told DOJ and the FBI he supported pursuing the Minneapolis ICE shooting as an assault/obstruction on a federal officer and believed the shooting was justified, but he objected to DOJ plans to investigate the victim’s widow and potential co‑conspirators; his termination also removed him from a high‑profile Minnesota welfare‑fraud investigation he had been leading.
- The FBI is excluding Minnesota prosecutors from its ICE shooting probe while state leaders have launched a parallel investigation into the incident.
- Veteran counterterrorism prosecutor Michael Ben’Ary was summarily fired mid‑case: his DOJ phone was remotely disabled while he was working on a Kabul airport bombing case spotlighted by President Trump, and his dismissal came hours after right‑wing commentator Julie Kelly publicly flagged his prior role under former Deputy AG Lisa Monaco, raising allegations of politically motivated targeting.
- Reporting characterizes the 2025 wave of firings and departures as a broader purge under Bondi’s DOJ, prompting concerns about loss of institutional knowledge, political interference in prosecutions, and a profound impact on the department’s capacity across multiple enforcement areas.
📊 Relevant Data
As of fiscal year 2023, the U.S. Department of Justice workforce was composed of 60% White employees, 19% Black employees, and 10% Hispanic employees.
Federal workforce diversity still lagging in more senior roles — Federal News Network
In the 2024 election cycle, federal employees donated at least $4.2 million to major presidential candidates, with nearly 84% of that total going to Vice President Kamala Harris.
Federal employees donate $4.2M in presidential race, mostly to Harris — Government Executive
Turnover in the Justice Department in 2025 has led to judges and juries casting a more skeptical eye at prosecutors' arguments in court, affecting case outcomes.
How a year of rapid turnover has affected the work of the Justice Department — NPR
During the first term of the Bush administration, average annual turnover rates for political appointees reached up to 38% in year five, compared to 28% under Obama.
Second-term turnover of Bush, Obama political appointees — Center for Presidential Transition
📊 Analysis & Commentary (2)
"This opinion piece critiques the Trump 2.0 administration as intentionally more destructive than expected—arguing its DOJ purges and parallel moves (enforcement surges, politicized probes, executive overreach) systematically erode rule‑of‑law institutions and create long‑term damage that requires legal and institutional remedies."
"A measured opinion that concludes many of the 'resistance' critiques about Trump weakening institutions (especially at DOJ) have been borne out in personnel purges and politicized actions, while urging nuance about which grievances were overstated versus substantively validated."
📰 Source Timeline (4)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Detailed case study of veteran counterterrorism prosecutor Michael Ben’Ary, whose DOJ phone was disabled and who was fired mid‑case hours after a right‑wing commentator highlighted his past work under Biden’s deputy AG Lisa Monaco.
- Justice Connection estimates that more than 230 DOJ lawyers, agents and other employees were fired in 2025 and that more than 6,400 employees left the department out of roughly 108,000 staff, signaling a large exodus beyond previously reported firings.
- AP documents that firings and resignations have hit prosecutors who handled Jan. 6 Capitol cases, civil‑rights and environmental enforcement, ethics, counterterrorism, immigration judges and attorneys who defended administration policies, not just Minnesota fraud and ICE‑related matters.
- Former senior Republican DOJ official Stuart Gerson is quoted warning that losing seasoned career lawyers who saw themselves as nonpolitical is 'immensely damaging to the public interest,' providing on‑the‑record elite criticism of Bondi’s purge.
- The story notes that several Minnesota federal prosecutors moved to resign this week amid turmoil over the ICE shooting investigation in Minneapolis, connecting the broader DOJ purge to the most recent Minnesota enforcement crisis.
- Identifies veteran counterterrorism prosecutor Michael Ben'Ary as among those summarily fired, and details that his DOJ phone was remotely disabled while he was in the middle of a Kabul airport bombing case Trump had spotlighted in his State of the Union.
- Reports that right‑wing commentator Julie Kelly publicly flagged Ben'Ary’s prior role with former Deputy AG Lisa Monaco hours before his firing, suggesting political targeting based on past service rather than performance.
- Cites Justice Connection’s estimate that more than 230 DOJ lawyers, agents and other employees were fired in 2025 and roughly 6,400 departed overall, erasing 'centuries of combined experience' in national security, civil rights, ethics, environmental and Jan. 6 prosecutions.
- Quotes former acting attorney general Stuart Gerson warning that the loss of senior career people who 'never viewed themselves as political' is 'immensely damaging to the public interest.'
- Adds that the recent resignations of several Minnesota prosecutors over the ICE shooting investigation are part of this wider pattern of turmoil under Bondi.
- Confirms that five Minnesota AUSAs, including Joseph Thompson (the office’s No. 2), were formally terminated rather than just allowed to depart on paid leave.
- Clarifies that Thompson told DOJ and FBI he supported pursuing the case as an assault/obstruction on a federal officer and believed the shooting was justified.
- Adds that Thompson objected to DOJ’s plan to investigate Good’s widow and potential co‑conspirators, even while backing the broader assault‑on‑officer framing.
- Reports that Thompson’s termination pulls him off a high‑profile Minnesota welfare‑fraud investigation he had been leading.
- Reinforces that FBI is excluding Minnesota prosecutors from the ICE shooting probe while state leaders launch their own parallel investigation.