A sudden shake-up rattled the Justice Department on Friday as Erik Siebert, the top federal prosecutor overseeing a mortgage fraud probe into New York Attorney General Letitia James, abruptly resigned—just hours after Donald Trump publicly declared, “I want him out.”
Siebert, who had served as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, informed staff of his departure in a late-evening email. In it, he praised his colleagues as “the finest and most exceptional of DOJ employees” and thanked them for their sacrifices in pursuit of justice.
The resignation followed mounting tensions between Siebert and the White House. Trump had grown frustrated with the prosecutor’s reluctance to push forward with charges, reportedly viewing the evidence against James as too weak to sustain an indictment. According to insiders, Siebert had voiced doubts not only about the James case but also about a separate investigation into former FBI Director James Comey.
Trump’s decision to break with Siebert was also colored by politics. He bristled upon learning that both Democratic senators from Virginia had supported Siebert’s nomination, souring the president’s view of his appointment.
Siebert’s office had been investigating allegations raised by Federal Housing Finance Agency chief Bill Pulte, who claimed James misrepresented her Norfolk residence to secure a favorable mortgage rate and may have misstated details about her Brooklyn property. Legal experts, however, argue the evidence is thin and unlikely to result in criminal charges.
The investigation has been spearheaded alongside Justice Department official Ed Martin, a Trump loyalist whose conduct has drawn controversy. Martin once posed for a staged photo outside James’ Brooklyn home—an act critics called a violation of prosecutorial ethics.
James’ attorney has rejected all wrongdoing, accusing Martin of seeking revenge on behalf of Trump, who remains furious over the civil fraud case she brought against him. That lawsuit delivered a massive financial blow to the former president before an appeals court pared back the penalty last month, though the fraud ruling itself still stands.
Siebert’s resignation highlights the growing pattern of Trump moving aggressively against officials perceived as insufficiently loyal. James is only one of several public figures now facing investigations initiated under Trump’s watch—including Senator Adam Schiff and Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook—all of whom deny any wrongdoing.
