President Donald Trump just dropped a bombshell by firing U.S. Attorney Erik Siebert, who was knee-deep in a mortgage fraud investigation targeting New York Attorney General Letitia James.
In a whirlwind of events on Friday, Sept. 20, 2025, Trump axed Siebert after expressing frustration with the prosecutor’s cozy ties to Democratic senators and his reluctance to aggressively pursue cases against Trump’s political adversaries, USA Today reported.
Siebert’s journey began in January 2025 when he was tapped as interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, later getting a formal nod from the district court after his temporary stint expired.
Things took a turn when Trump nominated Siebert for Senate confirmation, only to recoil at the warm endorsements from Virginia’s Democratic senators, Tim Kaine and Mark Warner.
Trump wasn’t shy about his feelings, barking to reporters on Sept. 20, “I want him out,” before pulling the plug on Siebert’s nomination and showing him the door.
“He didn’t quit, I fired him!” Trump blasted on Truth Social that same day, adding a jab that Siebert might as well run as a Democrat next time. Well, turns out actions have consequences, and Trump’s patience for perceived disloyalty seems thinner than ever.
Before his abrupt exit, Siebert was overseeing a criminal probe into Letitia James, sparked by allegations from Federal Housing Finance Agency chief Bill Pulte that she misrepresented her Norfolk, Virginia, home as a primary residence for a better mortgage rate.
Pulte also questioned the accuracy of James’ description of her Brooklyn property, though her attorney, Abbe Lowell, has firmly denied any misconduct, accusing the Department of Justice of retaliating for her civil fraud case against Trump.
That case, by the way, saw a New York judge rule that Trump and his business inflated asset values, though a recent appeals court decision tossed out the hefty half-billion-dollar penalty while keeping the fraud findings intact.
Siebert’s portfolio wasn’t just about James; he also flagged concerns over a separate investigation into former FBI Director James Comey tied to past FBI inquiries into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
Meanwhile, James isn’t alone in facing mortgage fraud scrutiny—Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff of California and Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook are also under the microscope, though all three have pushed back against the allegations.
Schiff, a longtime thorn in Trump’s side, led the first impeachment over Ukraine aid and sat on the Jan. 6 Capitol attack committee, which likely doesn’t earn him any holiday cards from the former president.
Siebert, in a farewell email to colleagues, reflected on his tenure with grace, thanking his team for their dedication to justice and the lessons they imparted during his eight-month run.
Virginia senators Kaine and Warner didn’t hold back, stating on Sept. 19 that Trump ousted Siebert for being an “ethical prosecutor” who wouldn’t bend to baseless vendettas. While their defense of Siebert sounds noble, one might wonder if they’re just as eager to shield their progressive allies from accountability.
They added that the Eastern District of Virginia, a hub for national security cases, shouldn’t be a playground for a “thin-skinned” president’s grudges—a sharp critique, but perhaps a bit rich coming from defenders of a system often accused of selective justice. Still, their point about keeping courts focused on facts over feelings isn’t without merit, even if the timing feels conveniently partisan.
