LOYD WRIGHT FOR JUDGE OF PROBATE COURT NO. 1

01/14/2026

POLITICS
Trump-appointed prosecutor who uncovered Somali fraud in Minnesota resigns
JOSEPH MACKINNON
JANUARY 13, 2026

Despite attacking Joseph Thompson last week, Walz says the assistant US attorney's resignation amounts to a 'huge loss.'

President Donald Trump appointed 47-year-old career federal prosecutor Joseph Thompson in June to serve as the acting U.S. attorney for the District of Minnesota.

Thompson, who expressed an interest at the outset in combating "the shocking and unacceptable levels of fraud in our state government programs," prosecuted numerous cases of social services fraud even after he was relegated to the status of assistant attorney following the U.S. Senate's confirmation of Daniel Rosen as the Gopher State's top federal prosecutor.

Evidently Thompson wasn't long for the role of second fiddle.

'His prosecutorial record gives him the opportunity to take a political leap if he wants.'

Sources familiar with Thompson's decision told the New York Times that Thompson was one of several federal prosecutors who quit on Tuesday.

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People supposedly familiar with Thompson's decision told the Times that he objected both to the alleged push by senior Justice Department officials for a criminal probe into anti-ICE activist Renee Good's actions as well as to the DOJ's refusal to loop state officials into its investigation into whether Good's fatal shooting was lawful.

RELATED: Blocking ICE with 'micro-intifada': Good's group taught de-arrest, cop-car chaos before her death

Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images

Thompson allegedly wanted the shooting investigated as a civil rights matter and was poised to investigate it in concert with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. His decision to work with the state agency was, however, reportedly overruled by DOJ officials.

The Justice Department did not respond to a request for comment from Blaze News.

While Thompson's office has told multiple outlets that he would not be commenting on his resignation Tuesday, he told the Minnesota Star Tribune, "It has been an honor and a privilege to represent the United States and this office."

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D), who is now facing the threat of impeachment, said in response to the news that "Joe is a principled public servant who spent more than a decade achieving justice for Minnesotans. This is a huge loss for our state."

"It’s also the latest sign Trump is pushing nonpartisan career professionals out of the justice department, replacing them with his sycophants," added Walz.

This is certainly a different tune than Walz sang last week when the failed vice presidential candidate not only accused Thompson of defamation but suggested he "would have been let go by another administration."

While Walz rushed to presume Thompson resigned on principle, there have long been rumors he has political ambitions outside the DOJ.

After being moved to the role of assistant attorney, Thompson told the Tribune in November, "I knew it was a temporary position, and at some point they would confirm my replacement, and when that happens, I’m gonna wake up the next day and figure out what to do with the rest of my life whether it’s in the office, outside the office, we’ll see."

"Whether he chooses to pursue public office is entirely up to him," David Schultz, professor of political science and legal studies at Hamline University, said at the time. "However, his prosecutorial record gives him the opportunity to take a political leap if he wants."

Despite attacking Joseph Thompson last week, Walz says the assistant US attorney's resignation amounts to a 'huge loss.'

01/14/2026

The crisis of 'trembling pastors': Why church leaders are ignoring core theology because it’s 'political'
BLAZETV STAFF
JANUARY 11, 2026

Allie Beth Stuckey and TPUSA Faith director Lucas Miles call pastors to stop running from truth on abortion, marriage, gender, and racial justice.
At Turning Point USA’s annual AmFest, BlazeTV host Allie Beth Stuckey and Senior Director of TPUSA Faith Lucas Miles dove into one the most pressing spiritual issues facing our nation right now: weak pastors.

Miles calls them “trembling pastors.” They aren’t necessarily “traitorous” in that they’re deliberately spreading ideas antithetical to Scripture, but they also aren’t “true pastors” willing to boldly speak truth no matter the cost.

These men, fearful of dividing their congregations or financial loss, steer clear of politically charged subjects.

But the problem with that approach is that so many political issues today are theological at their core. Abortion, marriage, gender, race, and justice have deep spiritual implications, but because these issues appear on the ballot, many pastors turn a blind eye to them and fail to lead their congregations.

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But Allie and Miles argue that truth only prevails when pastors courageously lead in all areas.

“I remember one of the things that Charlie [Kirk] said to me is that courage is easy. All you have to do is say yes. You don't have to have a degree on the wall; you don't have to have a bunch of money; you don't have to have good looks. You just have to be willing to say, like, ‘Here I am, Lord. Send me,”’ says Miles.

“I think we need more pastors to do that. … What we're trying to do at TPUSA Faith is be that voice coming alongside of them and saying, ‘Rise up, you mighty valiant warrior. It's time to get in the fight here."’

One type of weak pastor Allie says she sees a lot of are those unwilling to touch anything related to race. They’ve “got it on abortion; they've got it on marriage and gender,” she says, but “the racial social justice stuff” is where they “totally fumble the ball.”

This was especially apparent during 2020, when the death of George Floyd set off a social justice movement that razed entire cities to the ground. During that time, there were so many pastors who “sounded so much like BLM or the world when it came to race and justice,” she tells Miles.

Miles says that while he has grace for the pastors who posted black BLM squares before it came out that it was “Marxist, anti-family, anti-God organization,” his sympathy ends with those who never repented.

“I've not seen one of these guys go back and repent of that and actually acknowledge this,” he says.

While it’s easy to write this off as pride, part of the problem is lack of education.

Many of these pastors simply “don't know the history of liberation theology. They don't know that it's a hybrid between Marxism and Christianity. They don't know about James Cone. They don't know about this idea of crucifying the white Jesus,” says Miles.

To learn more about how TPUSA Faith is walking alongside pastors, educating and encouraging them to boldly proclaim truth and, as Charlie Kirk is famous for saying, “make heaven crowded,” watch the full interview above.

Want more from Allie Beth Stuckey?

To enjoy more of Allie’s upbeat and in-depth coverage of culture, news, and theology from a Christian, conservative perspective, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

Allie Beth Stuckey and TPUSA Faith director Lucas Miles call pastors to stop running from truth on abortion, marriage, gender, and racial justice.

01/14/2026

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