Trump-appointed prosecutor who pursued indictments against the president’s foes is leaving post

WASHINGTON (AP) — Lindsey Halligan, who as a top Justice Department prosecutor pursued indictments against a pair of President Donald Trump’s adversaries, is leaving her position as her months-long tenure has now concluded, Attorney General Pam Bondi said Tuesday night.

Halligan’s departure from the role of interim United States attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia came as multiple judges were casting doubt on her ability to legally remain in the job following a court ruling two months ago that said her appointment was illegal. She was appointed in September to a 120-day stint, which concluded Tuesday.

“The circumstances that led to this outcome are deeply misguided,” Bondi said in a social media post on X announcing Halligan’s departure. “We are living in a time when a democratically elected President’s ability to staff key law enforcement positions faces serious obstacles.”

The announcement followed dual orders from separate judges that marked a dramatic new front in an ongoing clash between the Trump administration and the federal court over the legitimacy of Halligan’s appointment. A White House aide with no prior prosecutorial experience, Halligan was picked for the role by President Donald Trump in September only to have a judge rule two months later that the appointment was illegal.

In one order, M. Hannah Lauck, the chief ju...