The Justice Department has abruptly revoked recent job offers for the Attorney General’s Honors Program — a prestigious and competitive opportunity for top law school graduates to work in entry-level positions across the department.
The Trump administration’s cancellation of the program was confirmed by multiple people familiar with the decision, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss it. It is one of several unusual decisions made at the Justice Department since President Donald Trump took office Monday, including the reassignment of senior officials in multiple divisions; a directive that prosecutors consider criminal charges against local officials who don’t cooperate with federal immigration enforcement efforts; a freeze on new or uncharged civil rights cases; and a review of police-reform agreements negotiated with localities in recent months.
Those who know the honors program said the cancellation of the job offers is unprecedented and could demolish one of the Justice Department’s main efforts to recruit top law school graduates into the public sector. The program has operated for more than 60 years, hiring young lawyers through Democratic and Republican administrations.
The decision was announced via short emails from the Justice Department on Wednesday afternoon, which cited a government-wide hiring freeze announced Monday, shortly after Trump was inaugurated.
“Pursuant to the hiring freeze announced Jan. 20, 2025, your job offer has been revoked,” said the email, multiple copies of which were obtained by The Washington Post.
It was not clear whether the program would restart after the hiring freeze expires. A Justice Department spokesperson declined to comment.
