The Trump administration moved Tuesday to keep Bill Essayli in charge of the Central District of California, extending the tenure of Los Angeles’s top federal prosecutor past his expired interim status by naming him acting United States attorney.

Essayli, a former Republican state legislator and longtime ally of President Donald Trump, was initially appointed to the post in April by Attorney General Pam Bondi. However, his 120-day interim term was expected to end Wednesday without a formal nomination being sent to the Senate. He is expected to immediately assume the acting role at 5:01 p.m., granting him up to 210 additional days to serve without Senate confirmation, two Justice Department officials told the Washington Examiner.