The Justice Department is assembling a team of lawyers prepared to defend the most controversial elements of the agenda of President Donald Trump in court, a report said on Monday.
As part of the effort, the department has dismissed career attorneys considered obstacles and brought in dozens of political appointees committed to advancing the president’s priorities, The Washington Post noted without clarifying that every president brings in staffers who are considered being “loyal” or on-board with the commander-in-chief’s political objectives.
“The new hires are already appearing on behalf of the government to defend Trump’s efforts to remake immigration policy and the federal workforce and to expand the powers of the presidency,” the Post report said. “They sometimes sit in front of judges alone, without the cadre of veteran attorneys who typically show up for big cases.”
The outlet did point out that the Justice Department is hiring some experienced attorneys with prestigious resumes.
“Some have prestigious conservative credentials, clerking for Supreme Court justices and top federal judges, according to a review of the new hires’ professional bios posted on LinkedIn,” said the report. “Others are fresh out of law school, taking on influential positions. Many honed their legal skills working for conservative state attorneys general during the Biden administration.”
The hires are part of the Trump administration’s broader push to diminish the influence of career staff across the executive branch and replace them with personnel aligned with the president’s ideological vision. The effort, detailed through public statements, executive orders, and interviews with current and former Justice Department officials—many of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity—reflects a deliberate strategy to reshape the federal workforce in accordance with Trump’s agenda, the Post reported.
The outlet then appeared to justify the moves, if in an off-handed manner.
“Meanwhile, many longtime attorneys are fleeing in frustration with Trump’s policies and a new culture within the department that does not permit dissent, some of the current and former agency officials said,” the Post reported.
‘Dissent’ during Trump’s first term turned into outright hostility to his vision and policies, leading to pushback within DOJ ranks. In addition, the pushback also took the form of false allegations — ‘Russian collusion,’ for instance — and bogus investigations by the FBI and elements of the DOJ that also sidetracked the president and his agenda.
The Post further stated that this time, Trump and his appointees aim to align staff with his agenda and prepare them to execute his vision.
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