The statement, signed mostly by former career prosecutors, but also by some political appointees, said: “Mr Barr’s actions in doing the President’s personal bidding unfortunately speak louder than his words.

“Those actions, and the damage they have done to the Department of Justice’s reputation for integrity and the rule of law, require Mr Barr to resign.

“But because we have little expectation he will do so, it falls to the department’s career officials to take appropriate action to uphold their oaths of office and defend nonpartisan, apolitical justice.”

The statement follows a week in which career prosecutors withdrew from a case after Mr Barr overruled their sentencing recommendation.

Problems at the department began when all four federal prosecutors who worked on the case against former Trump ally Roger Stone withdrew amid allegations of political interference in the sentencing process.

Mr Stone, an experienced political consultant, worked as a senior adviser to Trump’s presidential election campaign until an acrimonious break with the future president in August 2015.

He was arrested by the FBI last year on suspicion of offences linked to his work on the Trump campaign, including witness tampering, obstructing an official proceeding and making false statements, and was convicted on all seven counts in November.