The first week of the Trump administration’s transition has been anything but quiet, especially at the Justice Department. Dismissals, demotions, and reassignments have left many career officials feeling unsettled—and questioning the reasoning behind the sudden moves.

High-ranking employees overseeing critical areas like national security, public corruption, environmental law, antitrust cases, and criminal investigations have been shuffled into roles completely outside their expertise. Some, like top officials managing the immigration court system, were let go entirely. While it’s typical for new administrations to replace political appointees, the speed and scale of these changes are raising eyebrows.

Many inside the department see these reassignments as punitive, aimed at pushing out experienced staff who’ve spent decades building their expertise. This isn’t just a reshuffle—it’s a clear attempt to reshape the department’s direction and reduce the influence of its career, nonpartisan officials.

President Trump and his allies have long criticized what they call the “deep state”—a network of career government workers they believe resist Republican leadership. These sweeping changes appear to target areas enforcing laws that some conservatives oppose but can’t change through Congress.

One striking example is the Environment and Natural Resources Division, which handles civil and criminal cases related to environmental protection. Attorneys there have been told to halt all efforts, including filing new complaints against companies breaking environmental laws or moving forward with existing cases.

The administration’s actions suggest a deep distrust of the Justice Department’s career officials, who traditionally advise political appointees on critical decisions. Whether these changes will lead to resignations or a long-term shift in the department’s approach remains to be seen. One thing’s clear: the Justice Department is in for a major transformation.