A sudden wave of resignations inside the Department of Justice has placed US President Donald Trump at the centre of a growing political storm.
Several federal prosecutors stepped down in early January 2026, raising questions about pressure within the DOJ and how sensitive cases are handled.
The departures came amid disputes over the federal response to the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis. Critics say the exits reflect deeper unease about independence at the justice department, though officials in Washington reject that view.
READ MORE: Donald Trump Rages At Republican Senators As Experts Warn Of Dangerous New White House Delusion
READ MORE: Donald Trump Rages At Republican Senators As Experts Warn Of Dangerous New White House Delusion
Trump Blamed for Resignations in DOJ
According to The New York Times, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz was among the most senior officials to point the finger at Donald Trump following the resignations. Walz reacted to the departure of Joseph H. Thompson, the acting US attorney and first assistant US attorney for the District of Minnesota. He described Thompson as a long-serving prosecutor whose exit sent a troubling signal.
In a statement, Walz praised Thompson's record and linked his resignation directly to political pressure from the White House.
'Joe Thompson is a principled public servant who spent more than a decade achieving justice for Minnesotans. This is a huge loss for our state,' Walz said.
He added that the resignation was 'the latest sign that President Trump is pushing nonpartisan career professionals out of the Department of Justice and replacing them with his sycophants.'
Walz also highlighted Thompson's role in major investigations, including the case into the murders of state representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark. The governor said that experience underscored why the resignation had sparked alarm among state leaders and legal figures.
Wave of Prosecutors Resigned
Thompson's resignation was confirmed on 13 January 2026. He had served as the lead prosecutor on a large social services fraud investigation and was one of the most senior figures in the Minnesota office. His departure did not happen in isolation.
Five other federal prosecutors from the same office resigned on the same day, bringing the total to six. Their exits drew national attention and prompted questions inside the DOJ. Separately, four senior leaders from the department's Civil Rights Division in Washington also stepped down.
Those lawyers were involved in criminal investigations into police and federal use-of-force cases. A DOJ spokesperson later confirmed the departures but denied they were connected to the Minneapolis shooting.
'Any suggestion to the contrary is false,' the spokesperson said, adding that the officials had requested early retirement before events in Minnesota unfolded.
The resignations follow a broader pattern. Since Trump began his second term, more than 250 attorneys have reportedly left or been reassigned within the Civil Rights Division, resulting in a significant staffing reduction.
Protest for Renee Good's Case
At the heart of the dispute is the killing of Renee Good, a 37-year-old woman shot during an Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation in Minneapolis on 7 January 2026. The ICE agent involved, Jonathan Ross, was said by Department of Homeland Security officials to have acted in self-defence. Local officials and several Democrats strongly disagreed, saying Good posed no threat.
The resigning prosecutors objected to what they saw as a lack of interest in investigating the agent. They were also angered by pressure to examine alleged links between Good and her widow, Becca Good, and activist groups.
Harmeet Dhillon, the assistant attorney general for civil rights, decided not to open a civil rights investigation into the shooting. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche later said, 'There is currently no basis for a criminal civil rights investigation,' without detailing how that conclusion was reached.
Becca Good, speaking on Minnesota Public Radio, focused on her family's loss. 'Renee lived by an overarching belief: there is kindness in the world,' she said, asking for privacy as the debate over the DOJ's handling of the case continues.
