One in Five U.S. Federal Government Lawyers Depart; Trump Calls It "a Good Thing"

Down 17% Since the End of 2024

"Having Trump Administration Experience Is a Negative"

Trump Criticizes "Radical Left Deep-State Zealots"

The New York Times (NYT) reported on May 31 (local time) that since U.S. President Donald Trump took office in January of last year, more than 10,000 lawyers have left the U.S. administration. President Trump directly refuted concerns about the exodus of personnel, calling it “a very good thing.”

According to the NYT's analysis of federal employment data, as of the end of March this year, the number of civilian lawyers in the federal government was estimated at around 37,000. This represents a 17% decrease compared to the end of 2024, during the previous Joe Biden administration.

U.S. President Donald Trump. Reuters Yonhap News

The Department of Justice, which employs one-quarter of all federal government lawyers, saw the largest number of departures, with 2,665 lawyers leaving. In terms of percentage, the Department of Education (-53%) and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (-40%) experienced even sharper declines. Among major federal agencies, the only one to see an increase in the number of lawyers was the Department of Homeland Security, which saw a 21% rise, attributed to President Trump’s expansion of immigration enforcement policies.

The federal government is considered “the best workplace” for American lawyers seeking public service jobs. However, in addition to normal turnover and staff transfers, there have recently been large-scale layoffs, as well as a wave of resignations from employees who opposed President Trump’s policies. The NYT reported that many of the lawyers who left the Trump administration joined offices of Democratic state attorneys general and nonprofit organizations that oppose the Trump administration’s policies. As a result, veteran legal talent is flowing into the anti-Trump camp.

The NYT noted that it is difficult to determine precisely how this exodus of lawyers impacts government functions. During his first term, President Trump viewed these lawyers as obstacles to implementing his policies, and now, with fewer government lawyers, internal resistance has decreased. However, there are also fewer personnel available to defend government policies in court or to enforce laws. Due to staff shortages, the Department of Justice has relaxed hiring standards for some positions, but it is reported that lawyers are reluctant to apply due to political pressure to carry out President Trump’s retaliatory policies.

Phil Weiser, Colorado’s Attorney General and a former Justice Department official, recently announced that he had hired 22 lawyers formerly with the federal government. He said, “We are securing talent and expertise that we would not normally have been able to hire.” However, he also emphasized, “While state governments can fill some of the gaps, this is not a sustainable situation. The Department of Justice needs high-level legal talent and principled professionals.”

There is also a trend among law schools to avoid federal government jobs. Professors and students told the NYT that students who once aimed for federal government employment are now seeking other career paths. One student, who declined a Department of Justice internship offer, said, “In recent months, many people have said that having federal government experience from the Trump administration period on your resume does not look good.”

Nevertheless, President Trump responded to the NYT report on his social media platform Truth Social by saying, “This is actually a very good thing,” and claimed, “The people leaving are radical left deep-state zealots who have ruined our country and weaponized the government. Many of them were not leaving voluntarily, but were fired.” In response to the NYT’s concern about the loss of professional staff, he argued that it was a reorganization for greater efficiency.

President Trump added, “We want people who will MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN (MAGA),” and asserted, “They were appointed by Obama and Biden (the former presidents), and should never have represented America in the first place.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.