Donald Trump has appointed Lindsey Halligan to be the new U.S. attorney for Virginia’s Eastern District. In this capacity, she will oversee some of the most high-profile investigations, including ones into political opponents like former FBI Director James Comey and New York AG Letitia James. Halligan, a former lawyer for Trump, previously represented him in civil litigation concerning the FBI’s raid on his Mar-a-Lago resort amid a search for classified documents.
The announcement about Halligan’s appointment did not arrive from conventional press release channels—it came from Trump’s own social media platform, Truth Social. He has called her “very meticulous, very brilliant,” and a person who “loves our country.” Trump’s endorsement is a sign of his increasing impatience with the speed—or lack thereof—with which legal proceedings are being carried out against his various foes, real and imagined. As the U.S. attorney general at the time, Pam Bondi was under pressure from the former president to appoint Halligan. This demand followed Erik Siebert’s resignation after determining there was no basis to file charges against James.
In his posts, Trump emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, “We can’t delay any longer; it’s killing our reputation and credibility. They impeached me twice and indicted me (5 times!), OVER NOTHING. JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW.” His comments highlight the extraordinary high stakes he clearly believes are involved with Halligan’s appointment.
Halligan’s resume also boasts a stint as special assistant to then-president Trump and the title of Miss New Jersey. US Justice Department female lawyer Mary “Maggie” Cleary emerged as an unexpected dark horse for the job. Her nomination was subsequently confirmed. It’s not yet known whether Halligan will serve in an interim capacity. Or, on the flip side, he could hold out for a US Senate confirmation vote.
The eastern district of Virginia, where Halligan would serve, is famously a shark tank legal environment, a reputation that Trump thinks Halligan personifies. “Pam Bondi is doing a GREAT job as attorney general of the United States,” Trump stated. She’s very careful, very smart, loves our country, but she needs a really tough, really smart, really tough prosecutor in the Eastern District of Virginia, like my recommendation, Lindsey Halligan, to get the ball rolling.
Halligan will step into this important role with a clear and unambiguous charge. She will direct the most high-profile investigations that have drawn widespread national interest. The ongoing probes into Letitia James and James Comey highlight the political tensions surrounding Trump’s administration and his continued influence within the Republican party.