President Donald Trump’s handpicked U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia is already making waves and not in a good way. Lindsey Halligan, who was appointed just weeks ago, has reportedly removed a senior prosecutor as part of what’s being called a sweeping and controversial shakeup inside the office.
Halligan’s appointment itself raised eyebrows when it was first announced in late September. She replaced Erik Siebert, who resigned after reportedly refusing to prosecute New York Attorney General Letitia James, one of Trump’s biggest political adversaries.
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The move instantly set off alarm bells among legal observers who questioned both the motive and the qualifications of Trump’s new pick.
That’s because Halligan, unlike her predecessors, has zero experience handling federal criminal cases. Before taking on this powerful new role, her career was rooted entirely in insurance law in Florida — far from the high-stakes world of federal prosecution.
After Siebert stepped down, senior Justice Department prosecutor Maggie Cleary temporarily took charge of the Virginia office. But now, according to a Wednesday report from CNN, Cleary herself has been pushed out, too.
The report says Cleary has been “removed from the office entirely,” and it’s unclear if she’s still working with the Justice Department in any capacity. CNN noted that Cleary couldn’t be reached for comment, and the DOJ declined to say anything about her status.
A source familiar with the matter told CNN that Halligan seemed “interested in moving around prosecutors who she believed may oppose her work on highly politicized cases.” That description matches what many critics say has been a recurring theme under Trump’s influence — turning law enforcement decisions into political weapons.
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Cleary, for example, had previously resisted efforts by the Trump administration to indict former FBI Director James Comey. That indictment, pushed by Trump himself, came after months of the former president publicly attacking Comey and calling for his prosecution.
For Justice Department veterans, this latest move is yet another sign of how Trump continues to reshape the federal legal system in his own image. Replacing experienced prosecutors with political loyalists — especially ones without relevant background — raises concerns about the independence and credibility of one of the country’s most important U.S. attorney offices.
The Eastern District of Virginia, often called the “rocket docket” for its fast-paced handling of major national security and corruption cases, has traditionally been staffed by seasoned prosecutors. But Halligan’s arrival and the abrupt ousting of long-serving attorneys have left many inside and outside the DOJ questioning what’s next.
While the Justice Department remains silent, the shakeup underscores how Trump’s influence is still being felt deep within America’s legal institutions — long after he left the White House.
Whether Halligan can lead the office effectively, given her lack of federal experience and the growing internal unease, remains an open question. But one thing is clear: her appointment is already causing serious turbulence in one of the country’s most high-profile federal districts — and that might just be exactly what Trump wants.