Trump administration removes career DOJ official as head of national security division: Sources

Source: ABC News

February 11, 2025, 12:45 PM


The Trump administration has removed a career Justice Department official from his role as the acting head of the DOJ's National Security Division after the top prosecutor served in the position for less than a month, sources told ABC News.

Devin DeBacker served for only a few weeks in the position, which helps oversee the Justice Department's efforts to fight global terrorism, root out domestic extremism, stop foreign espionage operations, enforce U.S. sanctions, and investigate leaks of classified information.

In the first few days of the new Trump administration, as previously reported by ABC News, DeBacker tried to ease concerns within the department's National Security Division after two of its most experienced prosecutors were removed.

But on Monday, Justice Department leadership told DeBacker that he would no longer be leading the division, according to sources familiar with the matter. It's unclear why DeBacker was removed, and a Justice Department spokesperson declined to comment about the matter.

Read more: https://abcnews.go.com/US/trump-administration-removes-acting-head-dojs-national-security/story?id=118695212