The Trump administration fired three prosecutors involved in Capitol riot cases

The Associated Press (AFP) reported that on Friday, the U.S. Department of Justice on Friday fired at least three prosecutors involved in various criminal cases related to the January 6, 2021, Capitol riots. According to the outlet, two sources familiar with the matter said the firings included two supervisory prosecutors overseeing those cases in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington, as well as a line prosecutor who handled several riot-related prosecutions.

The outlet also reported that one of the prosecutors received a termination letter signed by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi. A copy of the letter, obtained by AFP, provided no explanation for the dismissal, which was effective immediately and cited “Article II of the United States Constitution and the laws of the United States.”

Similar decisions

Although these latest dismissals occurred just hours ago, it’s clear that President Donald Trump's administration has made similar decisions since the beginning of his second term. While serving as acting U.S. Attorney in Washington, Ed Martin even demoted several prosecutors involved in the January 6 cases — including the attorney who led the section dedicated exclusively to Capitol riot prosecutions.

In January, then–Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove dismissed roughly two dozen prosecutors who had originally been hired on a temporary basis to support the January 6, 2021, cases. Many of them had transitioned into permanent roles following Donald Trump’s victory over Democratic candidate Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election. Addressing the decision, Bove stated that he would not “tolerate subversive personnel actions by the previous administration.”