The U.S. Justice Department told a federal court that the president has broad authority to fire federal employees for political reasons [1].
The argument comes during a wrongful-termination lawsuit filed by Maurene Comey, the daughter of former FBI director James Comey [1, 2]. This case serves as a critical test for the boundaries of executive power and the protections afforded to civil servants against political retaliation.
In a filing on May 28, 2026, DOJ lawyers said that the president's authority to remove certain officials is expansive [1]. The department sought to defend the government's decision to fire Comey by asserting that such actions fall within the legal scope of presidential power [1].
"The government could fire the daughter of former FBI director even for political reasons," a Justice Department lawyer said [1].
Despite the government's broad claims of authority, a judge in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia allowed the lawsuit to proceed [1, 2]. The ruling ensures that the court will further examine whether the termination of Comey violated established laws, or constitutional protections against arbitrary firing.
The DOJ's position suggests that political affiliation or perceived loyalty could be legitimate grounds for dismissal in specific roles within the federal government [1]. This legal strategy aims to solidify the executive branch's control over the federal workforce, a move that could potentially strip protections from thousands of non-partisan employees.
Comey's legal team continues to challenge the dismissal, arguing that the termination was not based on performance or legitimate administrative needs but was instead a political act [1, 2].
“"The government could fire the daughter of former FBI director even for political reasons."”
This case represents a significant legal effort by the Justice Department to expand the 'unitary executive' theory. If the court ultimately accepts the DOJ's argument, it would establish a precedent that political loyalty is a lawful prerequisite for federal employment, effectively weakening the merit-based civil service system and increasing the president's ability to purge political opponents from government ranks.
