President Donald Trump fired Roger Rogoff, the newly appointed U.S. attorney for the Western District of Washington, less than an hour after federal judges in the district unanimously selected him for the role. Rogoff, a former judge and veteran prosecutor, was sworn in before 8 a.m. at the federal courthouse in Seattle before receiving an email informing him of his removal.
The firing highlights tensions between the courts and the Trump administration over the appointment of U.S. attorneys. Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche criticized the judges for bypassing the administration's preferred candidate, Charles Neil Floyd, who had served as an interim U.S. attorney. Blanche stated that the judges abandoned the "time-honored process of consultation with the administration."
Rogoff, who plans to consult with lawyers about potential legal action, argued that the judges had the authority to appoint him under federal law when the interim appointment expired. The Trump administration has previously sought to extend interim appointments indefinitely, a practice that has drawn criticism from legal experts.
Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) condemned the firing, calling it a move to install a "Trump administration sock puppet" and emphasizing that the Department of Justice should serve the American people, not the president's political agenda.