A Justice Department investigation examining alleged conspiracies against President Donald Trump has lost its second prosecutor in weeks, raising questions about the future of the controversial probe that has yet to produce any criminal charges.
Latest Departure From Troubled Investigation
Kurt Olsen resigned from the Justice Department’s investigation into whether former government officials conspired against Trump during previous investigations of the former president. The departure follows the resignation of Joseph diGenova earlier this month, who led the Florida-based probe but left without bringing a single criminal case. A person familiar with the matter confirmed Olsen’s resignation on Monday, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss personnel matters.
Olsen joined the Justice Department months ago after serving as director of election security and integrity at the White House. He gained prominence as an election denier who unsuccessfully pushed the Justice Department in 2020 to support Trump’s false claims about the election. His lack of experience as a Justice Department prosecutor made him an unconventional choice for the high-profile investigation.
Probe Targets Former Officials
The investigation has focused on multiple previous Trump probes, including the examination of Russian interference in the 2016 election and the classified documents case involving Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate. Prosecutors have demanded testimony from officials who participated in those investigations while searching for potential conspiracies to deprive Trump of his rights. Former CIA Director John Brennan received a subpoena compelling him to testify before a grand jury in Fort Pierce on October 25.
The yearlong investigation has experienced repeated upheaval. Last April, a lead national security prosecutor was replaced after raising concerns about the strength of the case against Brennan. DiGenova, an 81-year-old former U.S. attorney from the Reagan administration and longtime Trump ally, was sworn in days later. He had publicly supported Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election and repeatedly claimed the former president was targeted by an intelligence community conspiracy.
Controversial Background
Olsen’s legal career included representing Texas Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton in an unsuccessful Supreme Court bid to overturn President Joe Biden’s 2020 victory. He later represented Kari Lake during her attempt to challenge her 2022 Arizona gubernatorial loss. Arizona courts sanctioned Olsen for making false statements in that case. The investigation continues to pursue what critics describe as an ill-defined right-wing conspiracy theory, though no evidence supporting a coordinated plot against Trump by government investigators has been publicly presented.