Sen. Schmitt Calls for Trump’s Attorney General to Fire DOJ Staff Who Investigated Former President

Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO) urged President Donald Trump to dismiss Justice Department staff involved in the criminal cases against him.

Speaking on NBC’s Meet the Press, Schmitt, who served as Missouri’s attorney general, argued that DOJ officials who worked on these cases sought to undermine the will of the voters.

Schmitt expressed strong disapproval of the legal actions taken against Trump, calling them part of a broader effort to prevent him from running for office and to incarcerate him due to political disagreements. He pointed to accusations that Trump was a “threat to democracy” and criticised the individuals involved in these cases.

“Anybody part of this effort to keep President Trump off the ballot and throw him in jail for the rest of his life because they didn’t like his politics was wrong,” Schmitt said. “We’ll see where that goes.”

Eric Schmitt served as Missouri attorney general from 2019 to 2023. Shutterstock

The Department of Justice, under Special Counsel Jack Smith, oversaw two major indictments against Trump. The first, the Mar-a-Lago case, included 40 counts related to the alleged mishandling of classified documents.

The second case was centred on the 2020 election subversion, which included four counts. Both instances have faced significant legal setbacks, with a Florida judge dismissing the Mar-a-Lago indictment and the 2020 case being delayed until after the November elections. Reports suggest that Smith plans to step down soon, winding down both cases before Trump’s potential return to the White House.

Schmitt also emphasised the need for accountability regarding what he called “abuses” by DOJ staff, which he claimed undermined Trump’s legal and political standing. “These indictments all fell apart under the weight of the law,” Schmitt noted. “We must get back to crime-fighting, but there must be accountability for these abuses.”

As president, Trump would have the power to instruct the DOJ to halt investigations into his charges, which is why his legal team has been focusing on delaying proceedings. However, Trump still faces two state-level indictments outside his control as president. These include a 34-count case related to hush money payments and a 10-count case involving alleged election interference in Georgia.

Jack Smith is reportedly working to wind down his cases against President-elect Donald Trump. AP

The hush money case, in which Trump was found guilty, is currently on hold as the judge considers whether to dismiss it entirely. The Georgia election interference case is also in limbo as legal challenges continue against Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. A state appeals court recently postponed oral arguments in that case.

Trump has previously hinted at prosecuting individuals involved in his legal troubles once he is back in office. In a post on Truth Social, Trump suggested that those involved in “cheating” and “prosecutorial misconduct” would face prison sentences.

“I will prosecute to the fullest extent of the law,” Trump wrote, warning that the legal exposure would extend to lawyers, political operatives, donors, illegal voters, and corrupt election officials.

During his presidential campaign, Trump had initially named former Representative Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) as his pick for Attorney General. However, Gaetz’s candidacy faced complications due to allegations of sex trafficking, which he denied. After Gaetz failed to secure enough support, Trump shifted his focus to former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi as his nominee for AG.

Schmitt, whose name had been speculated for the role of Attorney General, publicly endorsed Bondi. “I know her well. She’s a friend and a great attorney general in Florida. This is a home run by President Trump,” Schmitt said, pledging his support to help her secure Senate confirmation.

The incoming president previously indicated a desire to target DOJ officials who went after him. AP

Trump, who has often discussed his desire for “retribution” against those he believes wronged him, recently stated that his focus as president would be on making the country succeed rather than seeking revenge.

“I am not looking for retribution or to destroy people who mistreated me,” Trump told Fox News. “I am always looking to give a second and even third chance, but never willing to give a fourth chance — that is where I hold the line.”