WASHINGTON — On Wednesday evening, the White House dismissed several U.S. attorneys in a significant shakeup within the Justice Department, a move driven by President Donald Trump, who himself faced charges in two federal cases that were subsequently dropped after his November election victory.

As of Thursday morning, the full number of terminated attorneys remained unclear. The White House did not respond to inquiries for comment, nor could a spokesperson from the Justice Department immediately provide the number of U.S. attorneys affected among the nation’s 93 federal court districts.

The removal of U.S. attorneys initially nominated by former President Joe Biden was anticipated to occur eventually; however, their abrupt dismissal by the White House marked a break from tradition. Historically, changes among politically appointed U.S. attorneys have involved resignations requested by the Justice Department rather than immediate terminations.

The firings affected at least two court-appointed U.S. attorneys, including a career federal prosecutor who had been involved in cases related to January 6. A representative for that attorney did not provide immediate comment when approached.

According to a press release from her office, Tara McGrath, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of California, was “notified of her termination through a communication from the White House, as directed by the President of the United States.”

U.S. Attorney for Maryland, Erek L. Barron, and U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, Dena J. King, also announced their departures on Wednesday, though they did not specify reasons. All three were nominees put forward by Biden and confirmed by the Senate.

Tessa Gorman, the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington, who was appointed by the courts, “was removed from her position,” according to her spokesperson. Gorman had first taken on the role in an acting capacity before being officially appointed by former Attorney General Merrick Garland. She was named to her post by judges from the Western District of Washington in May 2024.

Sources familiar with the situation disclosed to NBC News that one of the dismissed U.S. attorneys received a termination notice signed by Trent Morse, deputy director of the Office of Presidential Personnel, stating: “At the direction of President Donald J. Trump, I am writing to inform you that your position as U.S. Attorney is terminated, effective immediately.”

The direct involvement of the White House in these terminations is notable, as traditionally such decisions are made by the Justice Department. In his first term, Trump’s Attorney General Jeff Sessions requested resignations from U.S. attorneys, with only one attorney being dismissed for refusing to resign.

Under President Biden, U.S. attorneys appointed by Trump were asked to resign, given a three-week notice period, while numerous interim attorneys, who had not been Senate-confirmed (including certain court-appointed individuals), remained in their posts. This process also originated from the Justice Department.

Since Trump’s inauguration 24 days ago, the Justice Department has encountered significant unrest. The turmoil began when he issued mass pardons for those involved in the January 6 riots, marking a pivotal moment in the largest federal investigation in U.S. history, and appointed an advocate for Capitol rioters as the interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia.

Following this, Trump’s acting deputy attorney general, who had also worked on January 6 cases, dismissed federal prosecutors initially appointed to handle Capitol-related cases and sought a list of FBI employees involved in the investigation. Additionally, the Trump administration requested a roster of probationary FBI employees, which raised concerns about potential extensive firings that could affect the FBI for years.