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Bondi Fires DOJ Paralegal Over Obscene Gestures Toward National Guard in D.C.

Bondi cast the dismissal as enforcing a zero-tolerance stance toward disrespect of law enforcement.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi speaks to the media, after the U.S. Supreme Court dealt a blow to the power of federal judges by restricting their ability to grant broad legal relief in cases as the justices acted in a legal fight over President Donald Trump's bid to limit birthright citizenship, in the Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington D.C., June 27, 2025. REUTERS/Ken Cedeno/File Photo
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U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi testifies before a House Appropriations Justice Subcommittee hearing on U.S. President Donald Trump's budget request for the Department of Justice, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 23, 2025. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/File Photo
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Overview

  • Justice Department officials confirmed that paralegal Elizabeth Baxter was removed from federal service, citing a memo that said her conduct toward National Guard members warranted immediate termination.
  • Reports describe incidents beginning Aug. 18 in which Baxter allegedly raised her middle finger and used vulgar language toward troops, with a DOJ official telling NBC News the behavior occurred on multiple occasions.
  • Baxter worked in the Environment and Natural Resources Division, and security footage reportedly captured her recounting or demonstrating the gestures to a DOJ guard at the 4CON building.
  • DOJ spokespersons Chad Gilmartin and Gates McGavick publicly affirmed the firing on X, with McGavick writing that those who do not support law enforcement may find Bondi’s DOJ “not a good fit.”
  • The action follows Bondi’s earlier firing of paralegal Sean Dunn after a separate confrontation with a federal officer, as Washington sees expanded deployments of National Guard members and federal agents under President Trump’s crime initiative.