Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
The onslaught of lawsuits challenging the Administration’s policies plays a big role.
The onslaught of lawsuits challenging the Administration’s policies plays a big role.
What is happening?
Nearly two-thirds of lawyers from the Justice Department’s Federal Programs Branch—tasked with defending major Trump-era policies—have resigned or announced plans to leave since Donald Trump’s election, according to a list reviewed by Reuters.
Out of around 110 attorneys, 69 have departed.
Career Lawyers Disheartened by Policy Battles
Speaking with Reuters, former attorneys described growing disillusionment as they were asked to defend policies they felt undermined constitutional principles.
One departing lawyer said: “Many came to defend the system—not help dismantle it.”
Legal and Ethical Concerns Spark Departures
Some lawyers feared they’d be asked to bend or misrepresent facts—a serious breach of professional ethics.
The pressure to support contentious executive actions led many to question whether they could continue ethically representing the administration in court.
Trump Legal Tactics Under Fire
Critics accuse Trump of overreaching executive authority and retaliating against political adversaries.
While the White House insists its actions were lawful and within presidential bounds, former DOJ staff say the aggressive legal agenda often crossed ethical and constitutional lines.
Morale Sinks Amid Onslaught
A Justice Department spokesperson acknowledged an “unprecedented number of lawsuits” challenging Trump’s policies.
Still, officials emphasized they’d secured several wins, including at the Supreme Court. Internally, though, morale was low and workloads were punishing.
Unprecedented Turnover in Key Legal Branch
While some turnover is typical between administrations, sources called the current wave highly unusual.
Ten of the unit’s 23 supervisors in the Federal Program Branch have left—many with bipartisan experience—leaving gaps in institutional knowledge and leadership.
Emergency Staffing and Political Appointees Fill the Void
To manage the shortfall, more than a dozen lawyers from other DOJ departments were reassigned, and the branch was exempted from a federal hiring freeze.
The Trump administration also installed about 15 political appointees—many with backgrounds in conservative litigation.
Pressure to Defend Aggressive Policy Moves
Federal Programs Branch attorneys were tasked with defending high-profile policies like stripping birthright citizenship and cutting funding to Harvard.
Experts say the Trump legal strategy pushed boundaries in ways unseen in modern administrations—forcing lawyers to make extreme arguments in court.
Fallout from the Immigration Courtroom
An immigration case further rattled DOJ lawyers when a supervisor was fired after allegedly not backing the administration’s stance forcefully enough.
His whistleblower complaint accused leadership of demanding unsupported legal arguments—deepening fears across the department.
Constitutional Clashes and Strained Ethics
From orders targeting law firms to sweeping funding freezes, Trump-era policies frequently ended up in court—and were often struck down.
