US President Donald Trump’s handpicked interim US attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Lindsey Halligan, has stepped down following sharp criticism from the federal judiciary.
US Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed Halligan’s departure in a statement posted on X. She described the resignation as a significant loss for the Department of Justice and said the 36-year-old lawyer would continue serving the country in other roles.
The controversy stems from a November 2025 ruling by Cameron McGowan Currie, who found Halligan’s appointment as interim US attorney to be unlawful. The judge dismissed indictments against former Federal Bureau of Investigation Director James Comey and Letitia James as part of the ruling.
Breaking news: Lindsey Halligan, a lawyer who was named head of a key U.S. attorney’s office in Virginia with instructions to seek criminal charges against President Trump’s adversaries, left her post at the Justice Department, officials said. https://t.co/i5xMjYTYT9
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) January 21, 2026Despite the decision, Halligan continued using the interim US attorney title in court filings. This prompted a strong response from David Novak, a Trump-appointed judge confirmed in 2019.
In an 18-page order, Judge Novak rejected Halligan’s arguments and criticised her tone. He wrote that her response showed a level of vitriol more suited to cable television than a federal courtroom. He said it fell well below the standard of advocacy expected before the court.
Lindsey Halligan, President Trump's handpicked interim US attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, has left her position at the DOJ https://t.co/loyghBA4eh
— CNN (@CNN) January 21, 2026Judge Novak also warned that disciplinary action could follow against Halligan and any attorney who signed filings using what he called an improper title.
According to CNN, Halligan’s resignation brings an end to a turbulent tenure marked by high-profile cases that targeted the president’s political opponents.
