Inside Trump’s DOJ Purge: Seven Firings, One Week, Total Control
From prosecutors to the pardon office, career officials are being purged as Trump consolidates power.
The U.S. Justice Department is being systematically gutted—not in a single, dramatic event, but in a slow-motion purge of career officials.
Over the past week, at least seven DOJ officials have been fired, removed, or sidelined, many of them overseeing politically sensitive cases, corruption laws, or transparency measures. The message is clear: Loyalty to Trump is now required to serve in the Department of Justice.
Trump is set to deliver a major speech at the DOJ on Friday, March 14, 2025, where he is expected to outline a new “law and order” agenda. Given the recent purges, the speech will likely be more about consolidating control over the justice system than upholding the rule of law.
This isn’t just bureaucratic reshuffling. It’s an authoritarian-style takeover of the nation’s top law enforcement agency.
The DOJ Purge: A Step-By-Step Takeover
The Administration’s attacks on the Justice System began nearly the moment Trump took the oath of office for the second time.
Read our reporting here on his firing of those who investigated and prosecuted the Jan. 6 defendants:
He was at it again just over a week after we published that story. This time, however, it was much more strategic. He ran on pardoning the insurrectionists and fulfilled that promise on January 20th. Then, he went after those who put them behind bars. The new focus is protecting himself and his allies from his current and future crimes.
Phase 1: The First Warning Sign (February 7, 2025)
Hampton Dellinger, DOJ Special Counsel, Fired
The first significant move in the DOJ purge came when Hampton Dellinger—the official responsible for enforcing the Hatch Act—was fired. The Hatch Act is meant to prevent government officials from using their positions for political purposes.
The irony cannot be understated. Bold, Mr. President. Bold.
Dellinger’s removal signaled that Trump had no intention of respecting those boundaries. With Dellinger gone, there was no longer an independent DOJ official ensuring law enforcement wasn’t weaponized for political purposes.
Weeks later, the full-scale DOJ purge began.
Phase 2: Clearing Out Internal Oversight (March 7, 2025)
Elizabeth Oyer, Pardon Attorney, Removed
Oyer, who oversaw presidential pardons, was removed after allegedly resisting pressure to reinstate gun rights for Mel Gibson, who lost them due to a domestic violence conviction. Her refusal to sign off on politically motivated pardon decisions reportedly led to her dismissal.
Trump is allegedly ramping up for a series of pardons for his cronies. Gibson was likely a test, and Oyer failed, necessitating her removal.
Bobak Talebian, Head of DOJ FOIA Office, Dismissed
Talebian ran the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) division, handling public access to government documents, notably including requests related to Trump’s legal dealings. His removal makes it easier for the DOJ to withhold politically sensitive information.
This is likely also in response to the ongoing DOGE challenges and Trump’s maneuvering to protect Elon Musk and the group's actions. However, the President is also probably considering the many current and future lawsuits against the administration.
Phase 3: Taking Control of Criminal Prosecutions (March 8, 2025)
Adam Cohen, Head of DOJ’s Drug Task Force, Axed
Cohen, a career law enforcement official who led efforts to dismantle drug cartels, was abruptly removed just 18 hours after drafting a memo for “Operation Take Back America,” a Trump immigration crackdown. His firing raises serious concerns about the DOJ prioritizing political loyalty over crime-fighting.
In 2018, Jeff Sessions appointed Cohen to lead the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), one of the nation’s most potent multi-agency task forces targeting organized crime. He was effective—and perhaps that was his crime. That, and his reputation for being completely apolitical.
Two Additional SDNY Federal Prosecutors Placed on Administrative Leave
Hagan Scotten, Derek Wikstrom, Andrew Rohrbach, and Celia Cohen, working in the Southern District of New York, were involved in prosecuting a corruption case against NYC Mayor Eric Adams. Scotten and Wikstrom were removed in February, and Rohrbach and Cohen’s removals came on the same day as Cohen’s firing.
Notably, eight other DOJ attorneys had already resigned in protest over White House pressure to drop the case, a testimony to the strength of the case that Trump pressured them to drop. This sends a clear message that corruption investigations are now off-limits if they involve Trump allies.
Read our story about the mass exodus in protest of the dropping of the Adams case:
Phase 4: Controlling Financial Power (March 11, 2025)
Tara Twomey, DOJ Bankruptcy Chief, Fired
Twomey oversaw the U.S. Trustee Program, which regulates corporate bankruptcies. Experts warn that her removal could lead to more politically influenced bankruptcy rulings, benefiting major Trump donors and business allies.
Now, why, oh why, would Trump have an issue with a Bankruptcy Chief? Though Twomey took office long after Trump’s high-profile bankruptcies, it is no wonder he would want someone inside to protect himself and his friends.
A DOJ Reshaped for Political Control
The common thread in these firings?
They all involved career officials—apolitical, nonpartisan figures—being replaced or removed in favor of Trump-aligned leadership.
Trump’s former defense attorney, Todd Blanche, is now the No. 2 at DOJ. He previously defended Trump in criminal cases. Now, he’s overseeing the entire federal prosecution system.
Trump is reportedly preparing a wave of pardons, and with Liz Oyer gone, there’s no internal pushback left to stop Trump from pardoning political allies or even himself.
The Justice Department’s transparency office has been gutted, making it harder to expose government misconduct.
Trump’s upcoming DOJ speech on March 14 will lay out his new “law and order” vision, but given these firings, will it just be a declaration that justice now serves his political interests?
This Is How Democracies Crumble
The Justice Department isn’t just another federal agency. It’s the last line of defense against corruption and authoritarianism. And right now, that line is being systematically dismantled.
Purge career officials.
Replace them with loyalists.
Use DOJ powers to shield allies and punish enemies.
Sound familiar? It’s the authoritarian playbook. See our reporting here:
What Happens Next?
More firings, especially of DOJ officials handling corruption or financial crimes cases.
A Justice Department fully controlled by Trump’s inner circle.
Selective enforcement of the law, weaponizing prosecutions against political opponents while shielding allies.
The question isn’t whether this is happening. It’s how far Trump will go before someone stops him.
This Is Not Normal—And It’s a Direct Threat to Democracy
This isn’t about party politics. It’s not about whether you support Eric Adams or Trump’s policies.
It’s about whether the Department of Justice will serve the law or a political agenda.
A Justice Department that demands loyalty over independence is a threat to everyone.
What You Can Do
📢 Stay informed. Share this article to make sure people see what’s happening.
📢 Call your representatives. Demand an investigation into the politically motivated DOJ purges.
📢 Support independent journalism. The more the DOJ is politicized, the harder it will be to expose corruption.
A full-scale DOJ purge is happening right now. We must stop it before it’s too late.
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Bibliography:
"Trump Justice Department Fires Head of Organized Crime Drug Task Force" Reuters, March 8, 2025. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-justice-department-fires-head-organized-crime-drug-task-force-2025-03-08/
"Trump Administration Eyes Cuts to Justice Department Public Corruption Unit, People Familiar Say" Reuters, March 12, 2025. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-administration-eyes-cuts-justice-department-public-corruption-unit-people-2025-03-12/
"DOJ Attorney Says She Was Fired After Refusing to Help Restore Mel Gibson's Gun Rights" Entertainment Weekly, March 11, 2025. https://ew.com/doj-attorney-says-she-was-fired-after-refusing-to-restore-mel-gibson-gun-rights-11695141
"Trump's Justice Department Shakeup Hits Bankruptcy Watchdog" Reuters, March 11, 2025. https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/trumps-justice-department-shakeup-hits-bankruptcy-watchdog-2025-03-11/
"Hampton Dellinger" Wikipedia, last edited March 10, 2025. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hampton_Dellinger
"Bessent v. Dellinger" Wikipedia, last edited March 10, 2025. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bessent_v._Dellinger
"Second Presidency of Donald Trump"Wikipedia, last edited March 10, 2025. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_presidency_of_Donald_Trump
This seems to co along with with his expected invocation of warpowers to speed up the mass deportations. The police state is here.
That 47Git is clearing
The path for his brown shirts, I expect Holman to have more power frm all these changes. And Corruption both secret or blantent will increase as fast as hornets build a nest.