The incoming Trump administration has a message for left-leaning Justice Department employees hoping to block or interfere with the new president’s agenda: Get out.

Mark Paoletta, an attorney on President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team, told “Fox and Friends” Tuesday that DOJ prosecutors who won’t help with expected legal battles over the deportations of illegal immigrants, transgenderism in girls sports and diversity, equity and inclusion policies should leave the department.

His comments came after Politico reported that federal attorneys have told the news site they are looking to exit ahead of Mr. Trump’s expected effort to remake the agency.    

“Who would have thought it’s controversial that when a new boss comes in with a new agenda, that the people who work there are going to support the president’s agenda, right?,” Mr. Paoletta, who worked as an attorney in the first Trump administration, said. “Only in the federal government — only with a deep swamp — do people, career employees, think that they get to run the joint as it were.”

The Fox interview followed an X post Mr. Paoletta published Monday in which he said any “so-called ‘resistance’” to Mr. Trump’s agenda from prosecutors would be “subverting democracy” and could result in federal workers being fired.

The Justice Department has been a target of Mr. Trump’s since the agency launched two criminal investigations into him.

During the president-elect’s first term, former special counsel Robert Mueller probed Mr. Trump’s 2016 campaign over allegations of collusion with Russia to aid his electoral victory. Mr. Mueller found no evidence of wrongdoing.

Special counsel Jack Smith has federally charged Mr. Trump with mishandling classified documents and with his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol to overturn the 2020 election results. Mr. Smith is now looking to wind down both cases following Mr. Trump’s triumph at the ballot box last week.

Politico reported that changes in DOJ staffing may be most severe in divisions that focus on national security and civil rights law, while environmental and voting rights law may see more natural attrition given shifting Republican priorities.

Mr. Trump has yet to select an attorney general to lead the department.

Some names being floated include Sen. Mike Lee, Utah Republican; John Ratcliffe, former Director of National Intelligence; Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton; Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, and Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey.

• Matt Delaney can be reached at mdelaney@washingtontimes.com.