Joe Thompson, the federal prosecutor who brought to light a staggering $250 million fraud scheme in Minnesota, has stepped down from his role at the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Appointed acting U.S. Attorney by President Donald Trump in May 2025, Thompson led the office until Daniel Rosen assumed the position in October, and his tenure included spearheading the investigation into the Feeding Our Future scandal, alongside other high-profile cases like the federal charges against Vance Boelter for a deadly shooting rampage targeting Minnesota state officials.
The news of Thompson’s resignation has stirred discussion among legal circles and policymakers alike, with many questioning the timing and underlying reasons for his departure.
Reports from Fox News indicate Thompson’s exit aligns with early retirement paperwork submitted months ago, though some speculate tensions over Justice Department decisions on unrelated investigations, like a fatal shooting probe, may have played a role. The DOJ, however, firmly denies any connection to recent events.
“It has been an honor and a privilege to represent the United States and this office,” Thompson wrote in an email obtained by the Minnesota Star Tribune. Such gracious words hardly mask the turbulent waters he navigated during his tenure.
His departure isn’t solitary; at least four senior lawyers from the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division have also resigned recently, though claims of a coordinated protest against department policies have been dismissed as false by officials.
Thompson’s most notable achievement remains his leadership in exposing the Feeding Our Future fraud, a scheme that siphoned off a quarter-billion dollars meant for food programs, largely tied to Minnesota’s Somali community. Dozens of indictments and convictions followed, revealing a deep rot in state oversight.
“Our state is far and away the leader in fraud now and everyone sees it,” Thompson told the Minnesota Star Tribune Editorial Board last year. That blunt assessment cuts to the heart of a systemic failure many feel has been ignored for too long.
The scandal’s fallout even influenced Governor Tim Walz’s decision to forgo a third term, as public scrutiny intensified over how such massive deceit went unchecked under his watch.
While Thompson exits, the DOJ faces criticism for its handling of other sensitive matters, including a decision to limit the Civil Rights Division’s role in investigating a fatal shooting involving an ICE officer. Harmeet Dhillon, the division head appointed by Trump, took to X to call reports of mass resignations “bogus,” insisting the team has much work ahead.
Yet, whispers of discontent persist, with sources suggesting frustration over sidelined units and clashing priorities within the department. It’s a messy backdrop to Thompson’s otherwise stellar record.
His work on cases like the Vance Boelter shooting rampage, which claimed the lives of State Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband while injuring others, further cemented his reputation for tackling tough issues head-on.
Thompson’s resignation leaves a void in Minnesota’s legal landscape at a time when trust in public institutions is already frayed. His uncovering of the Feeding Our Future fraud wasn’t just a prosecution; it was a wake-up call about accountability.
The DOJ insists everything is under control, with internal protocols like ICE’s ongoing investigation into the shooting running parallel to other probes. Still, the public watches closely, wary of any hint that justice might bend under political winds.
As new leadership steps in, the question looms whether Thompson’s legacy of dogged pursuit of truth will endure, or if the system will settle back into complacency, letting oversight slip through the cracks once more.