The Justice Department, now under new leadership following the election of President Donald Trump, has swiftly moved to reassign at least 20 career officials, sidelining them from senior roles they had held for years. The shake-up is particularly notable in key U.S. attorney offices in New York and Washington, D.C., where senior lawyers in the criminal and national security divisions, as well as those handling international affairs like extraditions and immigration, have been reassigned. The changes have raised concerns, as these career prosecutors are typically shielded from such moves during transitions between administrations.

Federal civil service regulations generally protect career employees from reassignment for at least 120 days after a new administration takes control. However, the Trump team has interpreted this rule as not applying in this case, given that the Department of Justice is currently led by an acting attorney general and deputy attorney general, while Trump’s nominee, Pam Bondi, awaits confirmation. Trump officials argue that this means the leadership transition has not officially begun, allowing them to make these adjustments.

The reassignment of these officials has raised concerns about potential political retaliation and could lead to complaints to the Merit Systems Protection Board. Notably, Ed Martin, a socially conservative activist, has been appointed as acting U.S. attorney in Washington, D.C., and John Durham, a career prosecutor with experience in gang-related cases, has been appointed as interim U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York. Danielle Sassoon, a key prosecutor involved in high-profile cases like the conviction of Sam Bankman-Fried, has been named interim head of the Southern District of New York.

The moves come amid a broader effort to restructure the department and make further changes in the months ahead, with a focus on clearing out what Trump officials view as a “deep state” bureaucracy within the DOJ.