The prosecutors were part of Special Counsel Jack Smith’s team, which brought charges against Trump related to his handling of classified documents and his attempts to overturn the 2020 election results leading up to the January 6 Capitol riot. Those charges were later dropped following Trump’s re-election.
“Today, Acting Attorney General James McHenry terminated multiple Justice Department employees who were involved in prosecuting President Trump,” a DOJ official told NBC News. “The Acting Attorney General has determined that, based on their actions, these individuals cannot be trusted to carry out the President’s agenda. This supports our broader mission to end the political weaponization of government.”
Among those reportedly dismissed were longtime federal prosecutors Molly Gaston, J.P. Cooney, Anne McNamara, and Mary Dohrmann, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Special Counsel Jack Smith resigned earlier this month, prior to Trump’s return to office. Trump’s re-election effectively halted all federal criminal proceedings against him, in line with the Department’s longstanding policy barring the prosecution of a sitting president.
Trump has only been convicted in one case so far: the hush money trial led by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. Earlier this month, he received an unconditional discharge—meaning no penalties—making him the first sitting president in U.S. history with a felony conviction.
Separately, the Georgia election interference case was paused indefinitely in December after Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis was disqualified over a conflict of interest.
Throughout his 2024 campaign, Trump has repeatedly claimed that the investigations were politically motivated “witch hunts,” accusing Democrats of weaponizing the DOJ to derail his candidacy.
Both Jack Smith and former Attorney General Merrick Garland have pushed back against that narrative, maintaining that the investigations were driven by the evidence—not politics—and that Trump’s own actions triggered the inquiries.
Legal experts and former DOJ officials have condemned the firings, warning that retaliating against career prosecutors could undermine the department’s integrity and chill future efforts to hold powerful leaders accountable.
“Firing prosecutors simply because they were assigned to investigate the president is indefensible,” said former U.S. Attorney and NBC News legal analyst Joyce Vance. “It’s not just bad policy—it’s a threat to the rule of law and to democracy itself.”
One DOJ official told NBC News that the president is unconcerned about potential legal fallout. “He’s gambling with taxpayer money. If rights are violated, the government will foot the bill. He’s not worried.”
Termination letters reportedly cited the prosecutors’ roles in the Trump investigations as the reason for dismissal. One letter read, “You played a significant role in prosecuting President Trump. That raises serious concerns about your ability to carry out this administration’s goals.”
Federal employees do have recourse. The letter notes that they can appeal to the Merit Systems Protection Board, a federal body that oversees disciplinary actions.
Julie Zebrak, a federal employment attorney and former DOJ lawyer, emphasized that civil servants can’t be fired arbitrarily.
“They have rights under civil service laws,” Zebrak said. “There are due process protections. If the DOJ wants to dismiss someone for poor performance, they must follow a process: document deficiencies, provide warnings, and give employees a chance to respond.”
“There’s a reason why it’s so hard to fire federal workers,” she added. “The system is designed to protect them from exactly this kind of political retribution.”
