Trump says U.S. attorney investigating Letitia James didn't quit — 'I fired him!' Francesca Chambers, USA TODAYSeptember 21, 2025 at 7:00 AM 0 WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said he fired the U.S.
- - Trump says U.S. attorney investigating Letitia James didn't quit — 'I fired him!'
Francesca Chambers, USA TODAYSeptember 21, 2025 at 7:00 AM
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WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said he fired the U.S. attorney investigating New York Attorney General Letitia James, hours after he signaled his displeasure with the prosectuor.
Trump said he withdrew Erik Siebert's nomination for U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia over his "UNUSUALLY STRONG support" from the state's Democratic senators — contradicting the prosecutor's assertion in a Sept. 19 email to his staff that he had resigned.
"He didn't quit, I fired him! Next time let him go in as a Democrat, not a Republican," Trump wrote in a Sept. 20 post on Truth Social.
The attorney was overseeing the criminal mortgage fraud investigation into James before he left his post on Friday after Trump called for him to be removed from the job, according to the New York Times, Washington Post and other outlets.
Siebert had informed the Department of Justice that he had insufficient evidence to pursue charges against James, the outlets reported. He also raised concerns about a separate case against former FBI Director James Comey.
In addition to handling the mortgage fraud probe against James, Siebert's office has also been involved in a criminal investigation of Comey related to the agency's past probes of Russian interference in the 2016 election.
"I want him out," Trump told reporters on Friday.
Siebert said afterwards, in an email obtained by the outlets, that he had resigned.
More: DOJ opens investigation into New York Attorney General Letitia James, a top Trump foe
"For the last eight months, I have had the pleasure of leading the finest and most exceptional of DOJ employees who care deeply about our nation and our EDVA community," he wrote. "Thank you for the lessons you have taught me, the sacrifices you have made, and the pursuit of justice you strive for every day."
Siebert was first appointed as interim U.S. attorney in January and later appointed by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia after his temporary appointment expired. Trump had also previously nominated him to be confirmed by the Republican-controlled U.S. Senate.
Virginia's two Democratic senators, Tim Kaine and Mark Warner, supported his nomination.
They said in a Sept. 19 statement that Trump pushed Siebert out because he "is an ethical prosecutor who refused to bring criminal charges against Trump's perceived enemies when the facts wouldn't support it."
"The Eastern District of Virginia is at the forefront of significant cases essential to our national security, and just like any court in America, should be focused on justice instead of a thin-skinned president's vendettas," the senators wrote.
U.S. President Donald Trump looks on, with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick standing by his side, in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., September 19, 2025. REUTERS/Ken Cedeno
Trump has attempted to purge the Justice Department of officials viewed as disloyal, as he leverages U.S. government agencies to target political rivals.
James is one of at least three public officials facing mortgage fraud investigations, along with Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff of California and Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, a Democratic appointee whom Trump has tried to fire. All three have denied wrongdoing.
As a House member, Schiff led the first impeachment against Trump for withholding aid from Ukraine in an effort to pressure its president Volodymyr Zelenskyy to perform a political favor. Schiff also served on the committee that investigated the Capitol attack Jan. 6, 2021.
Trump has repeatedly complained about James, who pursued a civil fraud case against him that resulted in a half-billion-dollar penalty. A New York judge in the case found that Trump and his family business fraudulently inflated the value of his assets, although a New York appeals court last month threw that penalty out while preserving the fraud case against him.
The investigation into James was sparked by Federal Housing Finance Agency chief Bill Pulte, who alleged that James falsely described her Norfolk, Virginia, home as a primary residence in order to secure a more favorable interest rate on a home mortgage loan. Pulte also said James may have inaccurately described her Brooklyn home.
James' attorney, Abbe Lowell, has repeatedly denied that she did anything wrong and has accused DOJ of seeking retribution against her because of the civil case she brought against Trump.
Contributing: Reuters
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump says he fired U.S. attorney investigating NY AG Letitia James
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