The Department of Justice has terminated Michael Ben’Ary, a seasoned national security prosecutor within the Eastern District of Virginia, in a move that underscores the ongoing shake-up within the U.S. attorney's office. Ben’Ary, who led the district’s national security unit, was dismissed abruptly on Wednesday, mere hours after conservative commentator Julie Kelly brought attention to his previous role in the Biden administration.
Ben’Ary's career spanned nearly two decades, during which he served under both Republican and Democratic administrations. His notable contributions include leading the prosecution team of an alleged organizer of the 2021 Kabul airport suicide bombing, an attack that resulted in the tragic loss of 13 U.S. service members and over 170 Afghan civilians. With no charges confirmed to be pending, his removal has cast a shadow of uncertainty over the case.
The timing of Ben’Ary’s dismissal, shortly after Kelly highlighted his connection to Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco from the Biden era, has ignited speculation and concern among legal analysts. This incident adds to a string of departures instigated by the Trump administration, including the recent exit of Maya Song, top deputy to former U.S. Attorney Erik Siebert. Officials under pressure are leaving in the wake of internal disputes, exemplified by Siebert's resignation last month due to disagreements over pursuing charges against New York Attorney General Letitia James for mortgage fraud.
The firing of career prosecutors such as Ben’Ary represents a departure from tradition, where such positions typically remain stable across different presidential administrations. However, under the Trump administration, the Justice Department has witnessed the removal of prosecutors linked to politically sensitive cases, including those related to the January 6 Capitol protest and investigations into former President Trump himself.
Lindsey Halligan's recent appointment as the new U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia has brought further change. A former Trump lawyer with no previous experience as a federal prosecutor, Halligan took over after Trump urged Attorney General Pam Bondi to pursue legal action against his alleged persecutors. Halligan's tenure began with an indictment against former FBI Director James Comey for purportedly misleading Congress – a charge he denies. Comey's son-in-law, Troy Edwards, Deputy Chief of the Justice Department's National Security Section, resigned immediately following the indictment announcement.
The dismissal of Ben’Ary is not an isolated case of administration terminations following comments from right-wing figures. In April, Trump removed several White House National Security Council officials a day after activist Laura Loomer questioned their loyalty. Kelly defended Ben’Ary's firing, arguing that his previous association with Lisa Monaco, who was allegedly involved in legal actions against Trump, his associates, and supporters of the January 6 event, disqualified him from holding a significant position in one of the nation's most influential U.S. Attorney’s Offices.
These developments have led to a heated debate about the interplay between political commentary and administrative decisions within the Justice Department. While some view the firings as a necessary assertion of political influence over federal prosecutions, others express concern over the potential erosion of the department's impartiality and the traditional insulation of career prosecutors from political turbulence.
