President Donald Trump announced Saturday that he would nominate senior White House aide Lindsey Halligan to serve as the top federal prosecutor for the Eastern District of Virginia, just one day after the Alexandria-based office was thrown into turmoil by the resignation of U.S. Attorney Erik Siebert.
The nomination drew sharp criticism from Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA), who represents Northern Virginia including Alexandria, where the federal prosecutor’s office is headquartered. “Donald Trump hates the rule of law and is making all of us less safe by firing seasoned professionals, to replace them with goons and yes men who will bend the law to his whim,” Beyer said in a statement Saturday. “This is corrupt as hell.”
In a social media post as he departed the White House for an event at Mount Vernon, Trump wrote he was nominating Halligan as U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, saying she “will be Fair, Smart, and will provide, desperately needed, JUSTICE FOR ALL!”
The announcement came as Trump pressed Attorney General Pam Bondi to move forward with pursuing cases against some of his political opponents, part of a vow for retribution that has been a theme of his return to the White House.
Halligan’s nomination would place one of the president’s legal defenders in charge of an office in tumult over political pressure by administration officials to criminally charge New York Attorney General Letitia James, a longtime foe of Trump, in a mortgage fraud investigation.
Siebert resigned Friday amid a push by Trump administration officials to bring charges in the investigation, which stems from allegations of paperwork discrepancies on James’ Brooklyn townhouse and a Virginia home. The Justice Department has spent months investigating, and there’s been no indication that prosecutors have managed to uncover any degree of incriminating evidence necessary to secure an indictment.
Halligan has been part of Trump’s legal orbit for the last several years, including serving as one of his attorneys in the early days of the FBI’s investigation into Trump’s retention of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. She has more recently been enlisted in a White House effort to remove what the administration contends is “improper ideology” from Smithsonian properties.
The selection of Halligan came just hours after another conservative lawyer, Mary “Maggie” Cleary, said in an email to staff that she had been named acting U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, according to a copy viewed by The Associated Press.
“While this appointment was unexpected, I am humbled to be joining your ranks,” Cleary, a conservative lawyer who has said she was falsely accused of being at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, told employees in the email.
The Eastern District of Virginia, headquartered at the Justin W. Williams United States Attorney’s Building at 2100 Jamieson Avenue in Alexandria, is one of the most prominent federal prosecution offices in the country. Known as the “rocket docket” for its speed in processing cases, the office serves more than six million residents across Northern Virginia, Richmond, Hampton Roads, and surrounding communities.
The Alexandria Division specifically covers the counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Fauquier, Loudoun, Prince William, and Stafford, as well as the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Manassas, Manassas Park, and Falls Church.
Earlier Saturday, Trump posted to social media what appeared to be somewhat of an open letter to Bondi, saying he had “reviewed over 30 statements and posts” that he characterized as criticizing his administration for a lack of action on investigations, including the one into James’ dealings.
Asked as he departed the White House if he was criticizing Bondi, Trump said he just wanted action. “We have to act fast — one way or the other,” Trump said. “They’re guilty, they’re not guilty — we have to act fast. 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.”
In announcing Halligan’s nomination soon after on social media, Trump said that Bondi was “doing a GREAT job.”
While Siebert said in an email to colleagues Friday evening that he had submitted his resignation, Trump said in a social media post: “He didn’t quit, I fired him!” Trump noted Siebert was backed by Virginia’s two Democratic senators, Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, adding: “Next time let him go in as a Democrat, not a Republican.”
Beyer’s statement referenced ABC News reporting that Trump decided to remove Siebert, a respected career prosecutor Trump himself nominated to the position just months ago, after Siebert’s office “fail[ed] to find sufficient evidence” to support what Beyer characterized as “bogus, made-up fraud charges” against James.
The developments represent a further erosion of norms meant to insulate the Justice Department from White House influence on prosecutorial decisions. The moves are likely to deepen concerns that the department — already investigating other public figures Trump regards as foes — is being weaponized by a White House seeking to have its prosecutorial powers used for purposes of retribution.
James’ lawyers have vigorously denied any allegations and characterized the investigation as an act of political revenge. James has long been a particular source of outrage for Trump, in part because of a lawsuit she filed against him and his company that resulted in a massive financial penalty last year.
The Eastern District of Virginia office, which traces its legacy to 1789 when John Marshall served as the first U.S. Attorney before becoming Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, handles complex cases involving national security, public corruption, cybercrime, and civil rights.
Siebert had served as Interim U.S. Attorney since January 21, 2025 — just one day after Trump’s inauguration — following a distinguished 15-year career with the office. His tenure lasted less than eight months amid the political pressure over the James investigation.
This story is based on reporting by The Associated Press. Read the full AP story here. Alanna Durkin Richer, Meg Kinnard, and Eric Tucker contributed to this report.
