BREAKING: Over 10,000 Federal Lawyers Have Walked Out on Trump’s Government
A sweeping new investigation by the New York Times has revealed the staggering scale of legal talent walking out the door of the federal government under Trump. More than 10,000 attorneys have left their positions since the start of 2025, representing roughly one in five lawyers who were working across federal agencies just 18 months ago.
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The departures span virtually every corner of the executive branch. The Justice Department alone has lost more than 2,600 attorneys. The Pentagon has shed around 700. The Department of Health has seen nearly 300 walk out. But the most dramatic collapse has taken place at the Department of Education, which has lost more than half of its entire legal staff since the end of 2024.
Reporters who examined the trend described the turnover as far beyond anything considered normal, driven by a combination of mass layoffs, forced ideological conformity, and voluntary resignations from attorneys unwilling to carry out policies they found unlawful or unconscionable.
The administration has made no secret of what it wants from its lawyers. A Trump ally who previously served as DOJ chief of staff posted a public solicitation on X calling specifically for attorneys who support Trump and his agenda, framing the hiring push as joining a “mission.”
Critics say that framing tells the whole story. The federal government was once considered the gold standard for lawyers pursuing careers in public service. Under Trump, it has become a loyalty test.