US Federal Prosecutor Resigns After Trump Calls for His Removal

A senior federal prosecutor resigned Friday after reportedly resisting pressure to pursue investigations into two of Donald Trump’s political adversaries, just hours after the former president publicly demanded his ouster.

Erik Siebert, US attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, announced his resignation to staff in an email, according to reports by The New York Times and other outlets. The move came shortly after Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, “I want him out,” when asked if he intended to fire Siebert.

According to officials cited by The Washington Post, Siebert had declined to prosecute former FBI director James Comey—fired by Trump in 2017 while leading the Russia election interference probe—saying there was insufficient evidence that he lied to Congress. He also determined that New York Attorney General Letitia James could not be charged with mortgage fraud, despite pressure from within the administration.

Comey has long been a vocal critic of Trump, while James recently won a $464 million civil fraud judgment against him, accusing the former president of inflating his net worth to secure favorable bank loans and insurance terms. A Trump ally, Federal Housing Finance Agency director Bill Pulte, has accused James and other Democrats of falsifying mortgage documents—an allegation she denies.

Asked about the claims against James on Friday, Trump said: “It looks to me like she’s really guilty of something, but I really don’t know.”

Siebert, a Virginia Military Institute graduate and former Washington police officer, oversaw about 300 prosecutors in a district that frequently handles high-profile national security cases.