The Justice Department said Friday that a newly appointed interim U.S. attorney in Virginia was fired just hours after federal judges selected him to lead the influential office, triggering a fresh clash between the judiciary and the Trump administration.
According to CNN, judges in the Eastern District of Virginia unanimously appointed veteran defense attorney James Hundley to serve as interim U.S. attorney after Trump loyalist Lindsey Halligan was forced out last month.
Shortly after the appointment, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche unceremoniously announced in a social media post that the new nominee was out.
“Here we go again,” Blanche wrote Friday. “EDVA judges do not pick our US Attorney. POTUS does. James Hundley, you’re fired!”
Not long after, White House deputy chief of staff Dan Scavin, an assistant to the president, added, “Check your email, James.”
Hundley did not immediately respond to requests for comment. CNN reported it has reached out to the Justice Department.
Halligan’s brief tenure at the Trump Justice Department ended after failed attempts to prosecute the MAGA leader’s political opponents, including former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. A federal judge later ruled Halligan’s appointment invalid, writing that the power to appoint an interim U.S. Attorney rests with the court until a Senate-confirmed nominee is approved, CNN reported.
Here we go again. EDVA judges do not pick our US Attorney. POTUS does. James Hundley, you’re fired! https://t.co/QnHHUZqhw1 — Todd Blanche (@DAGToddBlanche) February 20, 2026
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