Biden’s DOJ begins replacing Trump-appointed U.S. attorneys

The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Tuesday that it is beginning the process of replacing U.S. attorneys appointed by the Trump administration as President Biden looks to install his own picks for federal prosecutors. 

The turnover process is anticipated to impact 56 out of 93 U.S. attorneys across the country who will be given weeks to finish up their work. The rest are career prosecutors who are already in their jobs on an acting basis or interim U.S. attorneys. 

Politico reported Tuesday that the U.S. attorney for Delaware, David Weiss, who is directing an investigation into the finances of the president’s son Hunter Biden, will remain in his post. John Durham, who is overseeing a special counsel probe into the start of the investigation into former President Trump’s alleged ties to Russia, will also reportedly continue serving as a special counsel but give up his U.S. attorney job representing the District of Connecticut. 

“We are committed to ensuring a seamless transition,” Acting Attorney General Monty Wilkinson said.“Until U.S. Attorney nominees are confirmed, the interim and acting leaders in the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices will make sure that the department continues to accomplish its critical law enforcement mission, vigorously defend the rule of law and pursue the fair and impartial administration of justice for all.” 

While the replacement of attorneys from prior administrations is common, Biden’s rollout is more abrupt than in past White Houses. Former Presidents Obama and George W. Bush asked U.S. attorneys to resign over a broader period of time. Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions also asked 46 Obama appointees to resign immediately but did not do so until March 2017.

Biden is also looking to get his pick for attorney general, Merrick Garland, confirmed to lead the DOJ, though squabbling in the Senate has delayed his confirmation hearing in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee while the Senate conducts a second impeachment trial of Trump. 

Biden has not yet indicated who he’d like to install to replace the federal prosecutors, but the jobs are considered top posts for rising attorneys, particularly those who are looking to later run for public office.