Judge blocks Trump from firing Seattle US attorney who had job for an hour

A federal judge in Washington state has ruled that a president lacks the power to fire a U. S. attorney whom a court has appointed, the first decision ever to take up that constitutional question. Chief Judge Stanley Bastian issued a preliminary injunction on Thursday in a suit brought by Roger Rogoff, whom a federal court named U. S. attorney for Seattle in July and who was dismissed within minutes of taking the oath. While the order stands, the administration cannot act to remove Rogoff or interfere with his work. Bastian said that Rogoff holds the post and has since July 15, 2026, according to CNN.

Bastian reasoned that the law's removal authority covers only Senate-confirmed U. S. attorneys. He also warned that letting a president dismiss court-appointed prosecutors would weaken the incentive to put forward nominees who can win Senate approval. The Justice Department accepts that courts may make such appointments but maintains that the president can still dismiss the appointee. It plans to appeal.

The dispute follows months of litigation over interim prosecutors kept in place past the 120 days federal law allows. In New Jersey, Alina Habba resigned after an appeals court found her appointment unlawful.

Summarized by PolitiKool from CNN’s reporting. Read the full story at CNN →