Overview

• Erik Siebert told staff Friday he was stepping down as U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia after his office found insufficient evidence to bring mortgage‑fraud charges against Letitia James.
• President Trump said he wanted Siebert out and later wrote that he withdrew Siebert’s nomination, asserting, “He didn’t quit, I fired him,” in a Truth Social post.
• The inquiry into James began with an April criminal referral from FHFA Director Bill Pulte, and EDVA prosecutors reviewed loan files and interviewed witnesses over several months without filing charges.
• Justice Department official Ed Martin and the Weaponization Working Group played a coordinating role that drew ethics complaints from James’ lawyer, Abbe Lowell.
• Virginia Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine condemned Siebert’s ouster as political retribution, and the departure leaves leadership uncertainty at the high‑profile EDVA office.