WASHINGTON — A former federal prosecutor fired by the U.S. Justice Department after years-old blog posts criticizing President Donald Trump became public has sued the department, alleging that his dismissal violated his First Amendment rights.
Will Rosenzweig, who worked for five years as an assistant U.S. attorney in Miami, filed the lawsuit in federal court on Friday. He is seeking reinstatement, back pay and a declaration that his September 2025 termination was unlawful, according to the complaint and the Associated Press.
Rosenzweig was about two weeks from prosecuting a multimillion-dollar Medicare fraud case when a conservative political commentator publicized a blog he had maintained years earlier while working in private practice. The blog covered subjects including travel and sports as well as political commentary critical of Trump and other candidates, according to the lawsuit.
The complaint says the commentator, Natalie Winters, posted screenshots of Rosenzweig's political writings and his LinkedIn profile and tagged senior Justice Department officials. Less than three hours later, Rosenzweig received an email from then-Attorney General Pam Bondi informing him that he had been fired, the lawsuit says.
Rosenzweig's lawyers argue that the blog had been inactive for more than six years when he was dismissed and that his termination amounted to unconstitutional retaliation for speech he made as a private citizen.
"Will Rosenzweig was an excellent prosecutor who returned millions of dollars to the taxpayers by prosecuting healthcare fraud cases," his lawyers Margaret Donovan, Daniel Fridman and Adam Fels said in a statement, according to the lawsuit. They said he was fired shortly before trial because of criticism of Trump that he had published years earlier.
The Justice Department declined to comment, citing the pending litigation.
The dismissal also affected the Medicare fraud prosecution. The U.S. Attorney's Office had been preparing to take the case to trial without Rosenzweig, and prosecutors sought additional time to replace him, according to reporting at the time. The case ultimately proceeded with other prosecutors.
Rosenzweig's lawsuit comes amid broader changes at the Justice Department under Trump's second administration, including the dismissal of prosecutors who worked on investigations involving Trump or whose work was viewed as conflicting with the administration's priorities. The department has faced several legal challenges over personnel decisions and prosecutorial appointments.
The lawsuit remains pending in federal court in Miami, with Rosenzweig seeking judicial review of the circumstances surrounding his dismissal.
