DOJ Public Affairs Director Sarah Isgur Ousted in 2018 Amid Trump Administration Shake-Up

Sarah Isgur, who served as the Director of the Office of Public Affairs at the Department of Justice (DOJ), was fired in November 2018, immediately following President Donald Trump's request for Attorney General Jeff Sessions' resignation. Her departure marked another significant personnel change within the Trump administration, particularly in the wake of ongoing tensions surrounding the Russia investigation.

Isgur had joined the Trump administration as part of Jeff Sessions' confirmation team in December 2016 and subsequently became his spokeswoman and Director of Public Affairs for the DOJ in March 2017. Her role involved navigating the department's communications during a tumultuous period, including issues related to immigration policies and the early stages of the Mueller investigation. Despite prior criticisms of Trump's presidential campaign, she accepted the position, believing she could play a constructive role.

The circumstances surrounding her firing were directly linked to the removal of Attorney General Sessions. President Trump had expressed growing frustration with Sessions, particularly after Sessions recused himself from investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 election, leading to the appointment of Special Counsel Robert Mueller. Political commentator David French, reflecting on the event, stated in a tweet, "> She was fired in 2018, when Donald Trump was president."

Isgur's tenure was not without internal challenges; reports indicated that the White House had attempted to remove her earlier due to her involvement in the Mueller investigation as senior counsel to then-Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. Following her exit, Isgur penned an essay for the Washington Post, reflecting on her experience and the concept of the "shallow state," where individuals believed they could mitigate potential harms from within the administration.

After her departure from the DOJ, Isgur transitioned to a career in media, including a brief stint with CNN, and later became a staff writer for The Dispatch. She is also widely known as the co-host of the legal podcast "Advisory Opinions" alongside David French, where they discuss legal and political issues. Her firing in 2018 remains a notable event in the history of the Trump administration's relationship with its Department of Justice.