DOJ Seeks to Hire Like-Minded New Attorneys to Become Federal Prosecutors
The U.S. Department of Justice has moved to eliminate a longstanding hiring requirement for federal prosecutors, signaling a shift in recruitment strategy as the agency works to rebuild its legal ranks under President Donald J. Trump’s second administration.
According to reports, the department has suspended its rule requiring newly hired prosecutors to have at least one year of prior legal experience. The change comes as officials grapple with staffing shortages and seek to bring in attorneys aligned with the administration’s priorities.
Data cited by the American Bar Association indicates that the DOJ employed roughly 10,000 attorneys in 2024, though that number has since declined. While updated figures remain unavailable, approximately 5,500 employees—spanning firings, resignations, and retirements—have left the department since the beginning of Trump’s second term, according to Mediaite.
That level of turnover has opened the door for outside institutions to recruit former DOJ lawyers, with CBS News correspondent Scott MacFarlane reporting that private firms, political organizations, and local prosecutors’ offices are actively pursuing departing staff.
Internal communications obtained by Bloomberg Law confirm the policy shift. A memo titled “Suspension of Attorney One Year requirement” states, “This suspension is in effect until February 28, 2027, and was implemented due to an exigent hiring need for attorneys across the Department.”
In comments to Bloomberg, a DOJ spokesperson framed the move as an opportunity to invest in the next generation of legal talent.
“Under the leadership of Attorney General Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Blanche, this Department of Justice is proud to empower young and passionate prosecutors and offer attorneys at every level the opportunity to invest their talents into keeping their communities safe, including from the predators the previous administration welcomed with open arms,” the statement read.
At the same time, some elite law schools appear to be producing fewer applicants for DOJ roles. William Treanor, former dean of Georgetown University Law Center, acknowledged a sharp decline.
“What we are seeing is a total drop in who is applying,” Treanor said. “It’s very, very dramatic. It’s gone from a good amount of our graduating class to virtually no one applying for jobs at the Justice Department.”
Critics argue that trend reflects ideological differences, noting that the current DOJ leadership is unapologetically conservative in contrast to the traditionally left-leaning culture of many top law schools.
Meanwhile, Attorney General Pam Bondi has reportedly taken extraordinary security precautions amid escalating threats. According to The New York Times, Bondi recently relocated from her Washington, D.C., residence to secure military housing after receiving death threats linked to drug cartels and backlash over her handling of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation.
Sources indicate that the threats intensified following the capture of former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, as well as growing scrutiny over the DOJ’s release of Epstein-related documents.
Bondi is not alone. Several senior administration officials have reportedly moved into heavily secured housing in or near military installations due to similar concerns. Among them are Stephen Miller, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Additional officials, including Army Secretary Daniel P. Driscoll and Navy Secretary John Phelan, have also reportedly relocated to protected residences, highlighting the broader security climate surrounding top federal leadership.
The developments come as the House Oversight Committee prepares to call both Bondi and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to testify regarding the ongoing Epstein investigation—an issue that continues to generate intense public interest and political scrutiny.
Taken together, the DOJ’s hiring overhaul and the heightened security measures for top officials reflect an administration navigating both institutional rebuilding and an increasingly volatile threat environment.