In the dead of night, Donald Trump took to Truth Social to announce that he had fired Erik Siebert, the U.S. Attorney he personally selected for the Eastern District of Virginia. The catch? Siebert had already resigned days earlier.
“He didn’t quit, I fired him!” Trump declared at 12:14 AM, insisting that he pulled the plug on Siebert for failing to bring charges against New York Attorney General Letitia James — a longtime adversary who successfully sued Trump for fraud.
Siebert had been under intense pressure from the Trump administration to prosecute James for alleged mortgage fraud. In April, Bill Pulte, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, pushed the administration to target James, questioning whether she had falsely claimed her Virginia home as her primary residence to secure better loan terms.
After months of investigation, Siebert’s team found no solid evidence to press charges. They discovered James had only listed the home as a primary residence on a limited power of attorney form, which allowed her niece and co-purchaser to handle paperwork on her behalf — hardly a prosecutable offense.
Faced with insufficient evidence, Siebert decided not to pursue charges. Then, on Wednesday evening, Siebert tendered his resignation.
At 7:53 PM — nearly four and a half hours before Trump’s Truth Social post — ABC News revealed Siebert had already sent an email to his staff announcing his departure. His message didn’t mention the Letitia James investigation.
Earlier that day, during an Oval Office photo opportunity, Trump told reporters he wasn’t “following” the case closely but expressed suspicion toward Siebert because the attorney had been approved by Virginia’s Democratic Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner.
“They voted for this guy, and I have other people, judges, and U.S. Attorneys from other states who have the same situation, and they can’t get approved,” Trump told ABC’s Jonathan Karl. “So when I learned that they voted [for Siebert], I said, I don’t really want him.”
Siebert’s nomination came in May, but despite Trump’s cold shoulder, legal experts say Siebert has been effective in carrying out priorities favored by the president — especially on immigration enforcement.
University of Richmond Law Professor Carl Tobias pointed out Siebert’s office has recorded a high number of ICE arrests, signaling alignment with Trump’s agenda. “He’s certainly carrying out something that the president wants, and that (Gov. Glenn) Youngkin has strongly supported,” Tobias said. “It’s not as if he’s a renegade.”
The whole episode exposes a striking gap between Trump’s public statements and reality. A U.S. Attorney quietly resigns after refusing to prosecute a politically charged case — only for Trump to claim credit for firing him in a dramatic late-night post.
In Trump’s world, the appearance of loyalty and control often outweighs the facts — and Siebert’s exit is the latest example of that dynamic at play.
