The move has been accused of being a retaliatory action by Trump and another step towards "authoritarianism," which Democrats feared the president would carry out upon returning to office. The firing of prosecutors and FBI agents also follows Trump's decision to pardon around 1,500 people convicted in connection with the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol.

The Justice Department (DOJ) on Friday released dozens of prosecutors from its ranks who were responsible for cases that stem from the January 6 riot on Capitol Hill in 2021. The move is the latest reshuffle from the new Donald Trump administration. The FBI shook up its agency on Friday as well, by demoting, reassigning, and firing some of its key players. Trump also fired multiple inspectors general last week.

The Trump administration has initiated efforts to potentially fire numerous FBI agents nationwide who were involved in investigations targeting Donald Trump, his allies, and the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, according to anonymous sources. Officials are reviewing internal files to identify hundreds of agents for possible termination, focusing on those tied to special counsel Jack Smith’s probes into Trump’s alleged election interference and mishandling of classified documents. Acting FBI Director Brian Driscoll, appointed by Trump, has refused to support the effort, which appears to be orchestrated by the Justice Department. Trump denied directly ordering the firings but expressed approval of the initiative. Critics warn that a widespread purge could deplete FBI staffing, disrupt unrelated cases, and leave significant operational gaps. Neither the FBI nor the Justice Department has commented on the matter.