Poli Alert Politics & Civics
Related Articles
President Donald Trump announced Saturday that he will nominate senior White House aide Lindsey Halligan to serve as U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, a powerful office now in turmoil following the forced resignation of its top prosecutor.
In a post on social media just before departing for an event at Mount Vernon, Trump praised Halligan as “Fair, Smart, and will provide, desperately needed, JUSTICE FOR ALL!”
The move comes one day after Erik Siebert, the office’s top prosecutor, stepped down amid mounting political pressure from the administration to pursue charges against New York Attorney General Letitia James, a longtime Trump adversary. The Justice Department has been probing James over alleged discrepancies in property paperwork, but so far has not uncovered evidence sufficient for an indictment. James’ attorneys have denounced the investigation as “political revenge.”
A Trump Loyalist Elevated
Halligan, a lawyer with close ties to Trump’s legal team, previously defended him during the FBI’s probe into his handling of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago. More recently, she has been part of a White House initiative to root out what the administration calls “improper ideology” from Smithsonian museums.
Her nomination would place one of Trump’s staunch defenders at the helm of a district with jurisdiction over high-profile national security and political corruption cases.
Earlier Saturday, Trump signaled frustration with Attorney General Pam Bondi, urging her to move faster on politically charged investigations into James and former FBI Director James Comey. “We have to act fast — one way or the other,” Trump said. “If they’re not guilty, that’s fine. If they are guilty or if they should be charged, they should be charged. And we have to do it now.”
Despite the public pressure, Trump insisted Bondi was “doing a GREAT job.”
Competing Announcements Deepen Confusion
Hours before Trump’s post, conservative attorney Mary “Maggie” Cleary emailed staff saying she had been named acting U.S. attorney. Cleary, who has denied allegations she was present during the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot, wrote: “While this appointment was unexpected, I am humbled to be joining your ranks.”
Trump, however, dismissed the notion of Siebert’s voluntary departure, declaring online: “He didn’t quit, I fired him!” He also took a swipe at Virginia’s two Democratic senators, Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, saying: “Next time let him go in as a Democrat, not a Republican.”
The competing claims about leadership in the Eastern District underscore the chaos surrounding Trump’s Justice Department as he continues pressing for retribution against political rivals.
