Trump immediately fires the new court-appointed top prosecutor in Seattle
Seattle’s Newly Appointed Top Prosecutor Dismissed Within Hours by Trump Administration
Trump immediately fires the new court – In a swift display of executive authority, President Donald Trump terminated the appointment of Roger Rogoff as the United States Attorney for the Western District of Washington on Wednesday morning. The dismissal occurred less than sixty minutes after federal judges in the district unanimously selected Rogoff for the position, underscoring mounting friction between judicial authorities and the presidential administration regarding control over critical prosecutorial roles.
A Rapid Sequence of Events
Rogoff, a seasoned legal professional with extensive experience as both a state and federal prosecutor before serving as a judge, was formally sworn into his new role before eight o’clock in the morning at the courthouse located in downtown Seattle. Following the ceremony, he proceeded directly to the United States Attorney’s Office to arrange a meeting with Charles Neil Floyd. Floyd had been occupying the position on an interim basis for approximately 120 days, with his temporary term scheduled to conclude in February.
While Rogoff waited in the building’s lobby for his scheduled discussion with Floyd, he received notification via email from the Trump administration indicating that his appointment had been revoked. According to Rogoff’s subsequent statements, he is currently consulting with legal counsel regarding the possibility of filing a lawsuit challenging the circumstances of his dismissal.
Historical Context and Legal Maneuvering
Under traditional practice, presidents hold the authority to appoint United States attorneys, who serve as the chief federal prosecutors within each judicial district. These appointments typically require confirmation by the Senate, though temporary appointments operate under different rules. When interim appointments expire before a permanent nominee receives Senate approval, district judges possess the power to designate a new United States attorney.
However, the Trump administration has employed various personnel strategies to maintain unconfirmed prosecutors in their positions indefinitely. Acting United States Attorney General Todd Blanche addressed the situation in a social media message on Wednesday, explaining that “District court judges can appoint a temporary U.S. Attorney, and POTUS can fire them.” Blanche further criticized the judicial selection process, noting that the judges who appointed Rogoff “abandoned the time-honored process of consultation with the administration so that the selected U.S. Attorney is qualified to serve in the administration.”
Charles Neil Floyd, who previously worked as an immigration judge, was named interim United States attorney by Trump last October. The president never submitted Floyd’s nomination to the Senate for confirmation. When Floyd’s interim term concluded, Trump utilized a procedural tactic that the administration has attempted in multiple federal judicial districts: he reclassified Floyd as first assistant United States attorney while leaving the top position vacant. A panel of United States appeals court judges expressed doubt about the legality of this approach in May.
Judicial Response and Political Reaction
The federal judges in Seattle responded by soliciting applications for the position and establishing a bipartisan review panel to evaluate candidates. On Wednesday morning, the court—composed of seventeen active and senior judges appointed by five different presidents—issued a unanimous order selecting Rogoff as the United States attorney for western Washington.
Democratic Senator Patty Murray of Washington, who had previously opposed Floyd’s appointment, strongly criticized the administration’s decision. In a written statement, Murray declared: “Throughout his career, he has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to public service, and he was appointed legally by the federal judges in the Western District of Washington.” She continued, “This administration doesn’t want to deal with advice and consent—they just want to install cronies to carry out a corrupt political agenda.”
A Pattern of Dismissals
Rogoff’s dismissal follows a series of similar actions by the Trump administration. In December, Alina Habba resigned as the top federal prosecutor for New Jersey after an appeals court determined she had been serving unlawfully. Lindsey Halligan, who had pursued criminal indictments against two of Trump’s political adversaries, departed her position as acting United States attorney in Virginia after a judge ruled her appointment invalid and ordered the dismissal of indictments she had brought against James Comey, the former FBI Director.
Additionally, judges in Virginia appointed James Hundley, a legal professional with over three decades of experience handling criminal and civil cases, but the administration subsequently removed him. A court-appointed United States attorney in northern New York also faced dismissal.
Rogoff’s Perspective
Rogoff, who accumulated twenty years of experience as a state prosecutor and six years as a federal prosecutor before becoming a state judge, acknowledged that he anticipated the administration might terminate his appointment immediately. Nevertheless, he expressed no hesitation about the potential conflicts he was entering.
Being United States attorney represents “the best job there is” for a prosecutor, Rogoff stated. He reflected on his professional journey, noting: “I’m really proud of my career.” He added that the confidence shown by the district’s judges—many of whom he had encountered throughout his career through appearances, trials, and collaborations—was “just really humbling and amazing.”