Rachel Maddow claims Trump lawyers are quitting over defending him and lying under oath: ‘A bad sign’

Rachel Maddow said over half the lawyers defending Trump at the Supreme Court had resigned or were planning to quit amid ethical concerns
UPDATED APR 13, 2025
Rachel Maddow insists lawyers are refusing to defend Donald Trump and his policies since they would have to lie under oath (Getty Images, Screengrab/MSNBC/YouTube)
Rachel Maddow insists lawyers are refusing to defend Donald Trump and his policies since they would have to lie under oath (Getty Images, Screengrab/MSNBC/YouTube)

WASHINGTON, DC: MSNBC host Rachel Maddow claimed lawyers for President Donald Trump and his administration are quitting their jobs for being forced to defend his policies which sometimes lead to lying under oath.

The POTUS has issued over a hundred executive orders within his first 100 days in office in his second term. According to The Wrap, this has resulted in the administration facing many challenges in federal courts.

The Trump administration is also facing protests and lawsuits over the working of tech billionaire Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has cut off (sometimes pre-approved) funding to government programs and led to the loss of thousands of jobs.



 

Rachel Maddow explains why Donald Trump's lawyers are quitting

Rachel Maddow claimed during the Thursday, April 10, episode of the 'Rachel Maddow Show' on MSNBC that the lawyers representing the Trump administration are facing the tough choice between standing for the president or the truth.

"For weeks now, we have seen this pattern emerging. You’ve got lawyers representing the Trump administration who are being forced effectively to present arguments that either aren’t truthful or don’t make sense in court," she said.

"Trump administration lawyers basically being thumbtacked to the back wall of the courtroom by one judge after another," Maddow added.

“You have to be truthful to a judge. You have to be truthful to the court, but being truthful in this administration is seen as a betrayal of Donald Trump. So what are these lawyers supposed to do?” she continued. "In this case, you just do the right thing, right? You zealously represent your client, yes, but you always tell the truth… If you do that as a Trump administration lawyer, you will get fired for it.”

U.S. President Donald Trump (L) listens as White House Presidential Counselor Alina Habba delivers remarks before being sworn in as the interim U.S. Attorney for New Jersey in the Oval Office at the White House on March 28, 2025 in Washington, DC. Habba is a former personal attorney for President Donald Trump. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
President Donald Trump listens as White House Presidential Counselor Alina Habba delivers remarks before being sworn in as the interim US Attorney for New Jersey in the Oval Office at the White House on March 28, 2025, in Washington, DC (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

“All the Justice Department lawyers who are seeing that pattern emerge are sitting there thinking, ‘Do I want to lie to a judge and therefore be exiled from the legal profession? Or do I want to not lie to a judge and get fired from the Trump administration? They’re all quitting," said the MSNBC host.

“We are now seeing this untenable situation reach its natural mathematical conclusion in a pretty dramatic way. At least half of the lawyers whose job it is to defend Donald Trump at the Supreme Court, a majority of the office that has that responsibility, (have) now quit or (are) about to quit. That seems like a bad sign in terms of what this administration is up to," she added.

Internet lauds 'integrity' of Trump lawyers who are quitting

Netizens reacting to Rachel Maddow's report backed the lawyers who are quitting work instead of allegedly lying for Donald Trump. The following comments demonstrate their takes.

WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 25: U.S. President Donald Trump holds up a hat stating
President Donald Trump holds up a hat stating 'Trump Was Right About Everything' after signing executive orders in the Oval Office at the White House on February 25, 2025, in Washington, DC (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

"Make lying wrong again," quipped a user.

"Good lawyers understand the principles of justice," wrote another.

"Those that quit the DOJ need to go public now! Do not wait 4 or 5 years to write a book," noted a third

"Better to be fired for telling the truth and standing up for what is right and legal, instead of being disbarred and shunned by all legal professions," observed one user.

"Defending the indefensible," jibed another.

"Nothing but respect 🫡 for these lawyers and God will bless their integrity and honesty 🫡," a comment read.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.

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