Joe diGenova, the Justice Department prosecutor leading a significant investigation into former government officials and inquiries targeting President Donald Trump, abruptly resigned Thursday. DiGenova confirmed his departure in a phone interview, stating he submitted his resignation letter directly to Attorney General Todd Blanche. His sudden exit introduces new uncertainties for an investigation that has scrutinized allegations involving former Obama administration officials and law enforcement and intelligence activities connected to President Trump.
"If you want indictments where there’s no evidence, you have an ethical problem." Joe diGenova, Justice Department Prosecutor
"I did resign today by letter to the attorney general," diGenova said. "I said that it was a privilege and an honor to serve the president and the department, and I was very grateful." Reuters independently confirmed diGenova’s resignation on Thursday. DiGenova, 81, is a former U.S. attorney and a longtime ally of President Trump, having previously served on his legal team. He assumed control of the investigation earlier this year.
The Florida-based probe, which began in the South Florida US Attorney’s Office in August 2025, later expanded to include subpoenas targeting several prominent former intelligence and law enforcement officials. Among those who reportedly received subpoenas were former CIA Director John Brennan, former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, and former FBI officials Peter Strzok and Lisa Page. A source indicated that investigators have also brought witnesses before a grand jury in recent weeks, telling the New York Post that "a lot of people are being brought in."
The wide-ranging investigation has examined several separate matters involving President Trump. These include the intelligence community’s assessment of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, the FBI’s 2022 search of Mar-a-Lago, and investigations surrounding efforts to overturn the 2020 election. To date, no criminal charges have resulted from diGenova’s investigation.
Sources cited by the New York Post claimed that diGenova had recently lost support among senior Justice Department officials and within the White House. One source accused the veteran prosecutor of "slow-rolling" potential indictments and becoming distracted by investigative "rabbit holes." DiGenova strongly rejected these suggestions, stating, "If you want indictments where there’s no evidence, you have an ethical problem." Another source suggested diGenova had created "unrealistic expectations" about the probe's potential outcomes, leading to a confrontation with Attorney General Blanche. Additionally, several prosecutors dispatched from the Justice Department’s headquarters in Washington were reportedly sidelined after arriving to assist with the investigation.
President Trump's allies have consistently argued that actions by former intelligence and law enforcement officials during the Obama administration warrant criminal charges. They point to recently released records and congressional findings as evidence supporting further investigation into how the 2016 Russia assessment and subsequent probes were handled. Conversely, Brennan and other former officials scrutinized during the investigation have consistently denied any wrongdoing.
Questions have also been raised regarding the legal feasibility of combining the disparate matters under examination into a broader conspiracy case. Furthermore, the appropriateness of Florida as the jurisdiction for potential charges has been a point of discussion. CIA Director John Ratcliffe had previously referred Brennan to the FBI for criminal investigation following the release of a review examining the intelligence community's 2016 assessment on Russian interference, according to the New York Post.
The departure of Joe diGenova leaves the future leadership and strategic direction of this significant Justice Department investigation unclear. His resignation comes at a critical juncture, with grand jury activity reportedly underway and dozens of subpoenas already issued to key figures. John Solomon, a journalist, noted on social media that diGenova resigned as lead prosecutor in the Fort Pierce case, adding that "disagreements over resources, strategy and access to evidence are common inside DOJ." The investigation's path forward, including who will assume its leadership and whether its scope or focus will change, remains to be seen.
