The group, Justice Connection, intends to support employees who say they are facing professional and ethical crises under the new administration. It is likely to come under attack from Trump allies.

The Trump Justice Department says it has fired more than a dozen employees who worked on criminal investigations into President Donald Trump.

Trump has vowed to end the "weaponisation" of the Justice Department and has set about nominating and appointing allies to top posts in the department. Smith himself resigned from the Justice Department shortly before Trump took office, and both federal cases have effectively ended.