Trump hiring freeze prompts DOJ to pull job offers in AG’s honors program: report

The Department of Justice is rescinding job offers for the Attorney General’s Honors Program amid President Donald Trump’s federal hiring freeze, according to a new report. 

The Attorney General’s Honors Program, established in 1953, hires graduating law students or recent law school graduates from top law schools such as Harvard, Duke, Georgetown, Stanford and the University of Virginia. 

But the Department of Justice notified those who had been selected for the program, which serves as a pipeline to recruit top legal talent into the public sector, that their offers were being revoked, several people familiar with the decision told the Washington Post. 

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A sign at the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

The Department’s Office of Attorney Recruitment and Management distributed an email to those affected via email on Wednesday. 

“Pursuant to the hiring freeze announced Jan. 20, 2025, your job offer has been revoked,” said the email,” according to an email the Post obtained. 

Those familiar with the program said it may take on more than 100 lawyers annually, with recent hires assigned to the antitrust, national security, criminal and other divisions. 

They told the Post that the program is critical in recruiting new top talent to the Justice Department in order to replace outgoing legal talent. The two-year program places young attorneys on a career path to stay at the Department once the program concludes. 

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The seal of the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images)

The Post reports that it is uncertain whether the program will resume once federal hiring starts again. 

The Department of Justice did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. 

Trump signed a series of executive orders on Inauguration Day this week, including those initiating the federal hiring freeze as well as withdrawing the U.S. from the Paris climate agreement, and directing every department and agency to address the cost-of-living crisis.

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U.S. President Donald Trump sings a second executive order during the inaugural celebration inside Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., on the first day of his second term, January 20, 2025.  (REUTERS/Carlos Barria)

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“As part of this freeze, no Federal civilian position that is vacant at noon on January 20, 2025, may be filled, and no new position may be created except as otherwise provided for in this memorandum or other applicable law,” a White House memo said. “Except as provided below, this freeze applies to all executive departments and agencies regardless of their sources of operational and programmatic funding.”

Those exempt from the hiring freeze include military personnel and other federal jobs pertaining to immigration, national security or public safety.