Trump nominates senior White House aide for top federal prosecutor in Virginia

President Donald Trump nominated senior White House aide Lindsey Halligan as the top federal prosecutor for the Eastern District of Virginia after its U.S. attorney was pushed out on Friday.

In a Truth Social post announcing her nomination, Trump lauded Halligan as a “tough, smart, and loyal attorney” who has been in his legal orbit for years. 

“[Halligan] is extremely intelligent, fearless and, working with Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, has the strength and determination to be absolutely OUTSTANDING in this new and very important role,” Trump wrote. 

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Halligan was one of Trump’s attorneys after the FBI’s raid on Mar-a-Lago for the retention of classified documents. She’s more recently been enlisted in a White House effort to remove what the administration contends is “anti-American ideology” from Smithsonian museums.

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The nomination would place Halligan in charge of an office in tumult over political pressure by administration officials to criminally charge New York Attorney General Letitia James, a longtime foe of Trump, in a mortgage fraud investigation.

Erik Siebert, who had been the office’s top prosecutor, resigned Friday amid a push by Trump administration officials to bring charges in the investigation, which stems from allegations of paperwork discrepancies on James’ Brooklyn townhouse and a Virginia home.

James’ lawyers have vigorously denied any allegations and characterized the investigation as an act of political revenge.

While Siebert said in an email to colleagues Friday evening that he had submitted his resignation, Trump said in a social media post: “He didn’t quit, I fired him!”

Trump noted he was backed by the state’s two Democratic senators, Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, adding: “Next time let him go in as a Democrat, not a Republican.”