Lindsey Halligan leaves US attorney post after weeks of judicial scrutiny

Published January 20, 2026 10:49pm ET



Lindsey Halligan, the Trump-appointed interim U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia who brought criminal charges against two of President Donald Trump’s political adversaries, is leaving the post after the expiration of her 120-day term, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Tuesday night.

Halligan’s departure follows weeks of escalating courtroom clashes over the legality of her appointment, with multiple federal judges questioning whether she had any authority to continue serving in the role. Bondi lamented the departure of the former White House aide-turned-prosecutor in a statement, blaming Senate Democrats and home-state senators who refused to support the president’s nomination.

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