Erik Siebert, the acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, has resigned following public remarks from President Donald Trump demanding his ouster.
Siebert’s resignation came hours after Trump told reporters on Friday, “I want him out.”
The prosecutor had been overseeing an investigation into allegations that New York Attorney General Letitia James falsified mortgage records, claims she has strongly denied as “baseless” and politically motivated.
According to reports, Siebert expressed doubts about the strength of the case, telling senior Justice Department officials that investigators had not found sufficient evidence to prosecute. The Associated Press reported he was given the choice to resign or be fired.
In an email to staff, Siebert wrote:
“This evening, I submitted my resignation as Interim U.S. Attorney for EDVA. For the last eight months, I have had the pleasure of leading the finest and most exceptional of DOJ employees who care deeply about our nation and our EDVA community.”
Siebert had been serving in the role since January, with his nomination awaiting Senate confirmation. Virginia’s Democratic senators, Tim Kaine and Mark Warner, had both expressed support for his appointment, a factor Trump later cited in his decision to remove him.
The case against James stems from allegations by the Federal Housing Finance Agency that she falsified records to secure favorable mortgage terms for a property in Norfolk, Virginia.
James, who previously won a civil fraud suit against Trump in 2023, has dismissed the accusations as retaliatory.
Trump, when asked about Siebert’s resignation, said he had not been closely following the case but added:
“It looks to me like she’s very guilty of something, but I really don’t know.”
The Eastern District of Virginia office, one of the most prominent in the country, is also handling an ongoing investigation into former FBI Director James Comey.
