The U.S. Department of Justice's Federal Programs Branch, responsible for defending former President Donald Trump's administration policies in court, has experienced a substantial reduction in staff, with nearly two-thirds of its lawyers resigning since the 2024 election. Former staff members have described the work as demoralizing, citing difficulties in defending policies they considered indefensible and contradictory to their expectations of supporting effective government functioning. Concurrently, Meta Platforms Inc. and its CEO Mark Zuckerberg are preparing to face an $8 billion trial brought by investors alleging privacy violations. The lawsuit accuses Zuckerberg of managing Facebook in a way that compromised user data protections and profited from the resulting issues. The case represents a significant legal challenge for Meta, with shareholders seeking substantial financial remedies.