U.S. Attorney Erik Siebert announced his intention to resign from his position in Alexandria, Virginia, following pressure from President Donald Trump. Sources indicate that Trump wanted Siebert out after investigators found no incriminating evidence against New York Attorney General Letitia James regarding allegations of mortgage fraud.

Trump had urged Siebert to pursue charges against James, despite a lack of clear evidence of wrongdoing. "It looks to me like she is very guilty of something, but I really don't know," Trump stated to reporters in the Oval Office. He expressed dissatisfaction with Siebert's appointment, noting that both of Virginia's Democratic senators supported his nomination. "When I saw that he got approved by those two men, I said, pull it, because he can't be any good," Trump added.

Siebert has served as the interim U.S. attorney since Trump's inauguration in January 2021. His resignation leaves a significant U.S. attorney's office without leadership, as his deputy has also left her position. Currently, it is unclear who will take over the office or if any attorneys there have the authority to continue prosecutorial activities.

The investigation into James began in April after Bill Pulte, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, referred allegations to the Department of Justice. He claimed that James falsified records related to her 2023 home purchase in Virginia. After five months of investigation and interviews with 15 witnesses, authorities found no evidence that James knowingly falsified records to secure better loan terms.

James has denied any wrongdoing. Her attorney, Abbe Lowell, criticized Siebert's reported firing as a "brazen attack on the rule of law." He stated, "Firing people until he finds someone who will bend the law to carry out his revenge has been the President's pattern -- and it's illegal."

Lowell added that punishing Siebert for doing his job sends a chilling message to those who prioritize the law over political interests. This incident marks a significant escalation in what critics describe as a retribution campaign by Trump, who has also targeted other political figures, including Sen. Adam Schiff and Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook.

Trump has accused James of politically motivated actions against him, labeling her as "biased and corrupt." He claimed, "This has to do with election interference, plain and simple. We have a corrupt attorney general in this state."

In a separate civil fraud case, a New York judge found that Trump and his family had committed business fraud by inflating property values to secure favorable loans. Although an appeals court overturned the financial penalties, it upheld the finding of fraud.

Siebert, a former police officer with the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C., graduated from law school in 2009. He has worked as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia since 2010, leading the office's organized drug crime task force and supervising its Richmond division from 2019 to 2024.

Siebert was nominated by Trump in May 2021, following recommendations from Virginia's Democratic senators, Mark Warner and Tim Kaine. They praised his dedication to public safety and his qualifications for the role.