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Pam Bondi fires three DOJ prosecutors who were involved in prosecuting January 6 rioters, report says

Firings come after administration pardoned over 1,500 convicted in pro-Trump January 6 riot at US Capitol

Josh Marcus
in San Francisco
Saturday 28 June 2025 15:30 BST
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Trump pardons hundreds of January 6 defendants

The Department of Justice has reportedly fired at least three career prosecutors who worked on cases against January 6 rioters.

The prosecutors included two supervisors who oversaw the sweeping DOJ case against the pro-Trump mob that stormed the Capitol in early 2021, as well as a third attorney, the Associated Press reports.

The attorneys were fired on Friday in a letter signed by Attorney General Pam Bondi informing them they were “removed from federal service effective immediately,” NBC News reports.

The Independent has contacted the Justice Department for comment.

The reported firings come after the administration axed about a dozen lower-level DOJ officials who worked on the January 6 cases, and pardoned more than 1,500 people convicted in Capitol riot cases, including violent offenders.

The Trump administration reportedly fired career prosecutors on Friday who oversaw the sweeping case against the January 6 rioters at the US Capitol, after pardoning over 1,000 convicted for the 2021 attempt to disrupt the certification of the presidential election
The Trump administration reportedly fired career prosecutors on Friday who oversaw the sweeping case against the January 6 rioters at the US Capitol, after pardoning over 1,000 convicted for the 2021 attempt to disrupt the certification of the presidential election (Getty Images)

Separately, earlier this year, the administration removed more than a dozen prosecutors involved in prior criminal investigations into Donald Trump, including several who worked for Jack Smith, the special counsel bringing a now-dismissed election subversion case against the Republican.

“You played a significant role in prosecuting President Trump,” a letter to these officials, obtained by CNN, said.

The White House has also sought to penalize law firms tied to perceived opponents of the president, including Smith and prominent Democrats, attempting to strip their security clearances and punish federal contractors that did business with them.

Attorney general Pam Bondi reportedly fired the three prosecutors
Attorney general Pam Bondi reportedly fired the three prosecutors (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

On the campaign trail, Trump referred to the mob that stormed the Capitol to overturn the certification of his 2020 election loss, injuring about 150 police officers in a riot that ultimately led to at least seven deaths, as “hostages.”

The January 6 case was the largest in Justice Department history, netting over 1,500 convictions and requiring scores of federal attorneys, many of whom remain with the government.

Despite erasing this prosecution against mass disturbance from the books, since taking office, the Trump administration has sought a firm response to civil unrest targeting his policies, deploying federal agents, Marines, and the National Guard for a nearly unprecedented civil law enforcement role in response to Los Angeles protests against immigration raids.

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