Trump Fires Seattle U.S. Attorney Less Than an Hour After Swearing-In

Less than one hour separated Roger Rogoff’s swearing-in as Seattle’s top federal prosecutor from the email telling him President Donald Trump had removed him. The extraordinary turnaround on Wednesday transformed a local appointment into a national dispute over who controls temporary U.S. attorney positions when the White House has not secured Senate confirmation for a nominee. Rogoff is now considering legal action that could test the president’s authority to dismiss a prosecutor selected by federal judges.

The Bottom Line

• Federal judges unanimously appointed Roger Rogoff as U.S. attorney for the Western District of Washington.
• Trump removed him less than an hour after he was sworn in.
• The White House cited presidential removal authority under federal law and Article II of the Constitution.
• Rogoff said he is reviewing his legal options and has retained an employment law firm.
• The confrontation follows similar removals of court-appointed federal prosecutors in other districts.

Breaking It Down

Rogoff, a former King County Superior Court judge with experience as both a state and federal prosecutor, was sworn in before 8 a.m. at the federal courthouse in downtown Seattle. The district court’s active and senior judges had unanimously selected him after reviewing candidates through a bipartisan panel. Chief Judge David Estudillo said the appointment was intended to address a longstanding vacancy and protect the effective administration of justice in the district.

The vacancy developed after Charles Neil Floyd’s 120-day interim appointment expired. The Trump administration then designated Floyd as first assistant U.S. attorney while he continued to lead the office, rather than sending a permanent nomination to the Senate. A federal appeals court panel had previously expressed skepticism about similar personnel arrangements, according to NBC News reporting on the dispute.

After taking the oath, Rogoff went to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and asked to meet with Floyd. While waiting in the lobby, he received a written termination notice from the presidential personnel office. The message said Trump had ordered his removal under 28 U.S.C. 541(c) and Article II of the Constitution.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche defended the decision, writing that district judges can appoint a temporary prosecutor but the president can fire that person. He accused the judges of abandoning consultation with the administration. Rogoff challenged that position and told Bloomberg Law, “We’re considering all of our legal options.”

Why This Matters

U.S. attorneys oversee federal criminal prosecutions and civil litigation within their districts, giving them substantial influence over law enforcement priorities. The Seattle confrontation is therefore about more than Rogoff’s unusually brief tenure. It exposes a conflict between the judiciary’s statutory appointment mechanism, the Senate’s confirmation role and the president’s claimed removal power.

The administration has taken comparable action elsewhere. Sources cited removals of court-appointed prosecutors in northern New York and Virginia, while earlier appointment disputes in New Jersey led courts to rule that some prosecutors had served unlawfully. A lawsuit from Rogoff could become a direct test of a question that previous dismissed appointees did not litigate.

For Americans outside Washington state, the outcome could affect how federal prosecutor vacancies are filled nationwide. A ruling could determine whether judicial appointments provide meaningful continuity when the White House and Senate have not completed the regular nomination process, or whether the president can end those appointments immediately.

What Comes Next

Rogoff has retained HKM Employment Attorneys LLP and said his legal team is evaluating a possible lawsuit. No court filing or hearing date had been announced in the provided reports.

The Western District of Washington still lacks a Senate-confirmed permanent U.S. attorney. Trump could nominate a candidate, but that person would need Senate confirmation, and Sen. Patty Murray has said she would oppose Floyd if he were nominated.