Trump refutes claim US attorney in Virginia resigned: 'He didn't quit, I fired him!'
President Trump pushed back on reports that Erik Siebert, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, resigned from his post, claiming, “he didn’t quit, I fired him!”
“Today I withdrew the Nomination of Erik Siebert as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, when I was informed that he received the UNUSUALLY STRONG support of the two absolutely terrible, sleazebag Democrat Senators, from the Great State of Virginia,” the president said in a Truth Social post just past midnight Friday. “He didn’t quit, I fired him!"
He added, "Next time let him go in as a Democrat, not a Republican.”
Multiple outlets reported late Friday that Siebert stepped down amid pressure from the Trump administration to launch a probe into New York Attorney General Letitia James over alleged mortgage fraud.
Siebert had the support of Virginia Democratic Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark Warner.
Earlier on Friday, Trump told reporters that he wanted Siebert “out" after he told the Justice Department that his office did not find sufficient evidence to charge James, a foe of the president, The New York Times reported.
James has previously brought criminal charges against Trump’s New York business empire. Last month, an appeals court threw out the nearly $500 million civil fraud penalty but did not toss out the entire case. She has vowed to appeal the case.
Allegations against the New York attorney general were brought forward by the Federal Housing Finance Authority (FHFA), headed by Bill Pulte, accusing James of receiving more favorable loan terms.
Pulte, a Trump ally, has made similar accusations against Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Federal Reserve Gov. Lisa Cook. The president has sought to remove Cook from her position, even asking the Supreme Court earlier this week to issue an emergency order to oust the board member.
All have denied wrongdoing.