Lindsey Halligan, a White House aide, was sworn in Monday as the interim US attorney for the eastern district of Virginia after former U.S. President Donald Trump removed her predecessor. The firing followed the previous attorney’s refusal to bring charges against former FBI director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James.
Halligan, the most junior lawyer on Trump’s personal legal team, has no prior prosecutorial experience. Her appointment alarmed current and former prosecutors who warned it could signal political pressure to pursue charges against the president’s political opponents regardless of evidence.
Federal prosecutors had investigated referrals from Trump officials alleging misconduct by Comey, who was accused of lying to Congress about 2016 election matters, and James, accused of mortgage fraud over a property bought for her niece. Prosecutors concluded there was insufficient evidence to pursue charges.
The appointment came after Trump demanded, via social media posts over the weekend, that the Justice Department pursue criminal cases against both officials.
Halligan was sworn in shortly after noon by Attorney General Pam Bondi at Justice Department headquarters, replacing Erik Siebert, who had declined to bring the prosecutions. Interim US attorneys serve a maximum of 120 days, though Trump is expected to nominate Halligan for a full term in the Senate.
The eastern district of Virginia is a high-profile post overseeing around 300 lawyers and staff, handling sensitive national security cases near the Pentagon and CIA. Previous officeholders have historically had extensive prosecutorial experience in the district. G Zachary Terwilliger, who served under Trump, had been a longtime prosecutor there before assuming the top position.
Before joining the White House, Halligan was an insurance lawyer in Florida and worked for the Save America PAC. She later joined Trump’s legal team as the most junior attorney, helping draft briefs in the federal case over mishandled classified documents at Mar-a-Lago.
A White House spokesperson defended her appointment, saying Halligan is “exceptionally qualified” and will “serve the country with honor and distinction.” Former colleagues praised her as a fast learner who contributed meaningfully to filings, though her courtroom experience remains limited.
Halligan was directly involved in the Mar-a-Lago special master request, responsible for filing motions during the FBI’s document retrieval. A technical issue required her to deliver the brief in person after encountering traffic delays on the way to the courthouse. She later appeared as third-chair lawyer at the subsequent hearing.
Within months, Halligan had become closely connected to Trump’s political circle, attending the 2022 midterm watch party at Mar-a-Lago alongside senior aides and personal lawyers, further cementing her role in the president’s orbit.
Her swift rise to interim US attorney highlights concerns among legal experts about political influence in federal prosecutions, especially given the sensitive nature of cases handled by the eastern district of Virginia.
