Ex-DOJ official accuses Blanche of betraying Trump agenda : NPR

Jonathan Gross, a former political appointee at the Trump Justice Department, has emerged as a vocal critic of his previous superiors, particularly targeting acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. Gross has accused them of performing “very sloppy” work, engaging in “sabotage,” prioritizing their careers, and betraying the Trump agenda.

Attorney Jonathan Gross is revealing new insights into the department’s “Weaponization Working Group,” an initiative started by former Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate claims of political bias in federal law enforcement under the Biden administration. His public break with the department coincides with a sensitive period for the Trump administration as the president prepares for the midterm elections, amid growing dissatisfaction among some MAGA supporters who feel promises of accountability remain unfulfilled.

The Justice Department did not respond to NPR’s request for comment.

Gross joined the civil rights division of the Justice Department last summer after representing defendants in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack. With no prior criminal defense experience, the rabbi-turned-lawyer became a fierce critic of the prosecution, even comparing it to the Holocaust. His work on these cases boosted his standing among Trump supporters, catching the attention of figures like Marjorie Taylor Greene and senior officials in the Trump-appointed Justice Department.

“We’re lucky to have you on the team,” wrote Leo Terrell, a former Fox News contributor and current DOJ official, announcing Gross’ appointment in June 2025. “A great day for justice!”

As NPR first reported last year, Gross soon began working with the “Weaponization Working Group.” This small group included Jared Wise, a former FBI agent charged for his actions on Jan. 6, who entered the Capitol during the riot and was recorded on police bodycam encouraging rioters to “kill” police officers. Wise pleaded not guilty, and his case was dismissed when Trump returned to office. He joined the administration a few months later, like Gross.

Both Gross and Wise anticipated the working group would uncover significant misconduct by FBI agents and prosecutors involved in the Jan. 6 investigation, the largest in the department’s history. However, those expectations quickly diminished.

‘They just don’t care.’

The working group had “no budget, no staff” and “didn’t meet as much as you would think,” Gross told conservative activist and former Jan. 6 defendant Brandon Straka in an interview posted on YouTube this week. Gross did not respond to NPR’s interview requests.

The group’s work has largely unfolded in secret, but, as NPR previously reported, both Gross and Wise participated in discussions about drafting a report on alleged abuses of Jan. 6 defendants by the Justice Department under President Biden.

Prosecutors involved in the extensive Jan. 6 investigation have denied any wrongdoing. They argue that the “Weaponization Working Group” is a partisan attempt to retaliate against officials for prosecuting Trump supporters and to rewrite the history of the violent attack, which injured 140 police officers and posed a threat to the democratic process. Despite more than a year passing, the department has not released any report or findings on the Jan. 6 prosecutions. Gross and Wise, who have also recently left the administration, indicate that the “Weaponization Working Group” is no longer investigating those who handled the Capitol riot cases.

“This DOJ and FBI don’t comprehend the damage they’re doing to J6 defendants and their families by refusing to investigate the abuses of the Biden DOJ and FBI,” Wise posted on X.

“They comprehend,” Gross responded. “They just don’t care.”

A source familiar with the activities of the “Weaponization Working Group” told NPR that the group is currently focused on reports of alleged anti-Christian bias and “targeting” of people who protested local school board meetings.

The lack of action on the Jan. 6 inquiry has frustrated many former riot defendants. They continue to press for what some call the three Rs: “reparations,” in the form of financial settlements; “revenge” against prosecutors and judges; and “revelations,” they believe would validate conspiracy theories that the Capitol riot was a “setup” by the federal government.

Earlier this month, Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, posted a video praising efforts to rescue 1,500 dogs allegedly mistreated at an animal testing research facility.

“Pirro is concerned about dogs, but completely ignores the 1500+ J6ers that her office was weaponized against,” former Jan. 6 defendant Will Pope responded on X. “Aren’t my constitutional rights more important than a beagle?”

‘You can’t do this.’

Gross says his brief tenure at the Justice Department unraveled due to his advocacy for Jan. 6 defendants and others he believed were targeted by a politicized justice system. He recounted to Straka that he repeatedly emailed superiors about cases he felt warranted further examination.

“I never got a response to any of those emails until I was told to stop,” Gross said. The turning point, he recounted, was when he brought former Jan. 6 defendants into Justice Department headquarters. Gross did not specify who he escorted into the building, but suggested their presence caused concern.

“They have security measures to make sure that I’m not bringing in real terrorists,” Gross said. “But I brought in people who have been designated as terrorists, that’s for sure.”

Gross explained he took his guests around to discuss their cases with Trump officials. “But at a certain point, I guess, I went too far or did [it] too many times or maybe went into the wrong person’s office,” Gross said.

Eventually, Gross said, his boss, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon, called him in for a meeting. “She called me in and she said, ‘You can’t do this,'” Gross said. “And I said, ‘These people are victims of weaponization. This is what I’m here for.'”

At that point, according to Gross, he was placed on paid leave, moved to a different office, and “basically demoted” and assigned “menial” tasks, before he eventually left the Justice Department altogether.

‘Don’t be fooled’

Since leaving the administration, Gross has directed sharp criticism at Todd Blanche, who previously served as the department’s No. 2 official before becoming acting attorney general following Pam Bondi’s departure. In his current role, Blanche has initiated a flurry of activities, including indicting the nonprofit civil rights group the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) for using paid confidential informants in extremist groups, as well as indicting former FBI director James Comey over an Instagram post featuring seashells shaped as the numbers “8647.” The department contends the post was a criminal threat against Trump, although Comey denies any wrongdoing.

“Todd Blanche was in charge for over a year and sabotaged Pam Bondi so he could swoop in and take her job,” Gross posted on X. “Nothing stopped Blanche from dropping these indictments while Bondi was there.”

“He’s auditioning for AG. Don’t be fooled. We need to go in a different direction,” Gross wrote in another post.

Blanche has denied the allegation. “I don’t audition for this job,” Blanche told CBS News last month. “I’ve been the deputy attorney general for over a year, OK? This is not an audition.”

Gross has also questioned the SPLC case’s legitimacy. “This is a very sloppy job,” Gross told the conservative network Real America’s Voice, predicting the charges would ultimately be dismissed. The SPLC has stated it will “vigorously defend” itself against the charges.

Despite his ongoing public campaign against Blanche, Gross has expressed concern that his former colleagues might retaliate against him. “I just think it would be very ironic if they came after me,” Gross told Straka. “But I’m willing to do it.”