Trump Hails Departure of Over 10,000 Federal Government Lawyers as Positive Step to Drain Washington Bureaucracy
The departures align with Trump administration efforts to reduce federal bureaucracy, including initiatives led by the Department of Government Efficiency. Some former government lawyers have joined Democratic state attorneys general offices and advocacy groups.
Tommy Flynn
Washington, D.C. – More than 10,000 federal government attorneys have left their positions since President Donald Trump returned to office in January 2025, according to federal employment data analyzed by The New York Times.
The federal civilian legal workforce dropped to approximately 37,000 attorneys by the end of March 2026, a 17% decline from the end of 2024. Agencies hired only about 3,200 new lawyers during the same period.
The Department of Justice, employing over a quarter of federal attorneys, saw a 21% reduction with roughly 2,665 lawyers departing. Steeper drops occurred at the Department of Education (over 50%), Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Labor, and the Environmental Protection Agency. The Department of Homeland Security was an exception, increasing its legal staff by 21% to support immigration enforcement.
In a Truth Social post on May 31, 2026, President Trump responded to the Times report by calling the exodus beneficial. He described many departing attorneys as “Radical Left Deep State Lunatics” who weaponized government against political opponents and were hired under Obama and Biden administrations.
“The people that are leaving are Radical Left Deep State Lunatics, who are destroying our Country, and Weaponizing Government,” Trump wrote. “Many of them didn't leave, but were fired! We want people that will MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, not people that are trying to destroy our Country.”
Trump stated these attorneys “shouldn't have been representing the U.S.A. in the first place” and wished them well in future pursuits outside government.
The departures align with Trump administration efforts to reduce federal bureaucracy, including initiatives led by the Department of Government Efficiency. Some former government lawyers have joined Democratic state attorneys general offices and advocacy groups.
This shift reflects the administration’s focus on replacing entrenched officials with those aligned to America First priorities and restoring accountability in federal agencies.
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