Key facts
- Federal judges have accused the Trump Justice Department of misconduct, including false statements and harassment of political opponents.
- The Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) has seen its workforce decrease from 29 to 16 employees.
- The Office of Inspector General has lost 99 employees, reducing its staff to 477.
- New investigations opened by OPR have fallen to a 20-year low, while the number of complaints has risen to a 17-year high.
- A high-profile OPR probe into Jack Smith has been suspended, with reports of political appointees requesting its halt.
- A federal judge found a pattern of misconduct by Justice Department lawyers in a prosecution of former FBI Director James Comey.
Federal judges have leveled extraordinary accusations of misconduct against Donald Trump's Justice Department, including making false statements and improperly using the legal system against political opponents. Despite these rebukes, the department's internal watchdogs, the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) and the Office of Inspector General, have seen their staffs significantly reduced and their investigative capacity diminished.
According to Reuters interviews with former DOJ staffers and a review of department data, nearly half the workforce at OPR has departed, and about 17% have left the Inspector General's office. Many employees retired or accepted buyouts offered to shrink the federal workforce. This decline in staffing has coincided with a dramatic drop in new investigations by OPR, reaching a 20-year low, even as misconduct complaints have soared to a 17-year high.
DOJ officials have broadly disputed the judges' findings, accusing courts of political hostility toward Trump. However, former officials expressed concerns that the diminished watchdogs are not adequately addressing the surge of allegations. The OPR, responsible for investigating misconduct by department lawyers, has seen its staff shrink from 29 to 16 employees since Trump took office, and its director has not been replaced. In fiscal year 2025, OPR opened only seven new investigations, the lowest in two decades, despite receiving 1,666 complaints.
The Inspector General's office has also experienced significant staff departures, losing 99 employees. Historically, this office has investigated politically sensitive matters, but it has publicly disclosed only one such inquiry during Trump's term. Former officials stated that the office has begun to avoid investigating "high-profile stuff."
Recent court rebukes include a federal judge finding a pattern of misconduct in a prosecution of former FBI Director James Comey, and U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams accusing senior officials of failing to properly defend the government in Trump's $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS, leading to a settlement that included a $1.8 billion compensation fund for Trump allies, which has since been rescinded.