**🚨 BREAKING: A Wave of Reports Claiming That 8,000 DOJ Lawyers Resigned at Once Has Sparked Intense Online Debate, with Some Commentators Framing It as a Historic Moment Tied to the Trump Administration’s Collapse**

Washington D.C. – February 16, 2026

The U.S. Department of Justice is reportedly facing an unprecedented internal crisis after a cascade of viral reports claimed that approximately 8,000 career attorneys and support staff have submitted mass resignations in the past 48 hours. The alleged exodus — described by some online commentators as “the Great Walkout” and by others as “the final nail in the Trump regime” — has ignited one of the most heated online debates of the year, with millions of posts, memes, and conspiracy theories flooding social platforms within hours of the first leaks surfacing late yesterday.

The initial reports originated from an anonymous account on X that posted what it claimed was an internal DOJ memo dated February 15, 2026. The document — whose authenticity has not been independently verified by major news organizations — lists thousands of names from every division of the department, including the Civil Rights Division, Criminal Division, National Security Division, and U.S. Attorneys’ offices across the country. The alleged memo states that the resignations are effective immediately and cite “untenable working conditions, repeated interference in ongoing investigations, and a profound loss of institutional independence” following the 25th Amendment removal of President Trump and the subsequent installation of loyalists in senior leadership roles.

Within minutes of the post, the number “8,000 DOJ resignations” became a global trending topic. Conservative accounts framed the reports as “deep-state sabotage” and “a coordinated strike by Obama holdovers,” while progressive users celebrated it as “the system finally purging itself of Trump corruption.” By early this morning the hashtag #DOJWalkout had surpassed 42 million mentions, with viral graphics showing a cartoon of the Justice Department building collapsing under the weight of departing lawyers.

The Trump administration — now led by Acting President JD Vance — has not issued an official confirmation or denial. A brief statement from the Office of the Attorney General (currently held by acting AG Eric Schmitt) read: “The Department of Justice continues to operate at full capacity. Reports of mass resignations are exaggerated and appear designed to create chaos during a time of transition.” However, multiple career prosecutors speaking anonymously to outlets such as CNN, The Washington Post, and Reuters have confirmed that “hundreds — possibly thousands” of attorneys have submitted resignation letters or requested immediate transfers since the 25th Amendment vote.

One senior DOJ official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told reporters: “It’s not 8,000 — that number is inflated — but it’s real, and it’s bad. Career people are leaving because they believe the department has been captured by political loyalists who are actively interfering in cases involving the former president. The morale is the lowest I’ve seen in three decades.”

The timing could not be more explosive. Trump was removed under the 25th Amendment two weeks ago, impeachment articles are advancing in the House, property seizures are underway in New York, four top defense lawyers resigned last week, and a federal grand jury in Georgia is reportedly hearing new evidence from Mark Meadows. The alleged DOJ walkout adds a catastrophic new dimension: if career prosecutors and trial attorneys are departing en masse, ongoing cases — from election interference to classified documents to financial fraud — could face indefinite delays or outright collapse.

Online, the debate has turned vicious. MAGA-aligned accounts insist the resignations are “fake news” or a “deep-state plot” to sabotage Vance’s administration. One viral post from a prominent conservative influencer claimed: “8,000 woke lawyers quit because they can’t handle real accountability. Good riddance!” Progressive users countered with memes showing the Justice Department as a sinking ship with Trump clinging to the mast. Fact-checking organizations have struggled to keep up; PolitiFact issued a preliminary assessment rating the “8,000” figure as “unverified but plausible,” noting that the DOJ employs roughly 115,000 people total, with about 10,000 attorneys.

Late-night hosts pounced. Jimmy Kimmel opened his monologue: “8,000 DOJ lawyers quit at once. That’s not a resignation — that’s a stampede. Apparently the only thing scarier than working for Trump is working for the people he put in charge after he left.” Stephen Colbert ran a mock news ticker: “Breaking: DOJ lawyers flee in terror. Trump responds: ‘They were losers anyway.’”

The alleged mass resignation has also intensified pressure on Acting President Vance. Several Republican senators have privately urged him to appoint an independent special counsel to restore credibility to the department. One senior GOP aide told reporters off-record: “If even half that number is true, the DOJ is in freefall. Vance can’t govern if prosecutors won’t prosecute.”

Public reaction is polarized but intense. A flash poll from YouGov released this afternoon shows 61% of Americans believe “significant resignations” at the DOJ would be a crisis, including 44% of Republicans. Pro-Trump rallies in Florida and Texas drew thousands chanting “Drain the DOJ swamp!” while counter-demonstrations in New York and Los Angeles called for “full accountability.”

As the department remains silent and the 8,000 figure remains unconfirmed, one thing is already clear: whether the number is exact or exaggerated, the perception of a mass exodus has become a defining symbol of the Trump era’s collapse. With impeachment advancing, properties seized, lawyers fleeing, and now the Justice Department itself reportedly hemorrhaging talent, the former president’s once-dominant political machine appears to be disintegrating in real time.

The question now is not whether the reports are true in every detail — but whether the damage to public trust and institutional stability can ever be repaired.