Roger Rogoff Sues Trump Over 54-Minute Firing as U.S. Attorney
Updated
Updated · NBC News · Jul 21
Roger Rogoff Sues Trump Over 54-Minute Firing as U.S. Attorney
3 articles · Updated · NBC News · Jul 21
Summary
54 minutes after Roger Rogoff was sworn in as U.S. attorney in Seattle last week, the Trump administration fired him, prompting a lawsuit seeking reinstatement until a Senate-confirmed successor is installed.
Rogoff says the firing violated federal law and the Constitution’s Appointments Clause because judges may appoint a U.S. attorney after a 120-day interim term expires and the post remains vacant.
The Justice Department argues the Western District of Washington judges failed to consult DOJ and says the president can dismiss court-appointed U.S. attorneys; acting Attorney General Todd Blanche repeated that view on X.
The case is the first suit by a judge-appointed U.S. attorney fired by Trump, after similar removals in Virginia and New York amid disputes over temporary prosecutor appointments.
Who controls top prosecutors: the president who can fire or the court that can hire?
What does one prosecutor’s lawsuit reveal about the future of judicial independence?
Fired in an Hour: The 2026 Roger Rogoff Case and the Battle Over Presidential Removal of Court-Appointed U.S. Attorneys
Overview
On July 15, 2026, federal judges appointed Roger Rogoff as U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington. Rogoff publicly stated he would carry out the administration’s priorities, but the Trump administration fired him the next day. This swift dismissal sparked immediate and sharp criticism from political figures, including Senator Patty Murray, who condemned the firing as undermining judicial authority. The incident highlights a growing conflict between the judiciary’s power to appoint interim U.S. Attorneys and the President’s authority to remove them, raising major questions about the balance of power and the independence of federal prosecutions.