Former U.S. Attorney Sues Trump for Unjust Termination

WHO:

CBS News Politics - Roger Rogoff is the first U.S. attorney to sue over being removed after serving for 54 minutes.

NBC News - Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche stated, “District court judges can appoint a temporary U.S. Attorney, and POTUS can fire them,” in a social media post the day Rogoff was fired.

CNN - Roger Rogoff, a former U.S. attorney and judge.

CNN - President Trump, the Trump administration, and acting Attorney General Todd Blanche.

WHAT:

CNN - The lawsuit filed by Rogoff states, “But no person has yet been nominated, let alone confirmed, to fill the vacancy.”

NBC News - The lawsuit contends that the abrupt firing was unconstitutional and disregarded the authority of the judges of the district to name Rogoff to the job until the vacancy could be filled through a Senate-confirmed nominee.

CNN - Rogoff's lawsuit is the first of its kind against the Trump administration regarding the appointment of U.S. attorneys.

NBC News - The lawsuit filed by Rogoff states, “District court judges can appoint a temporary U.S. Attorney, and POTUS can fire them,” according to acting Attorney General Todd Blanche.

KOMO - The lawsuit argues that Rogoff’s firing violates the Constitution and disregards the authority of the judges of the district to name Rogoff to the job until the vacancy could be filled through a Senate-confirmed nominee.

CBS News Politics - The Justice Department stated that “the district court did not coordinate with DOJ on this selection. Consistent with other firings of this type, this is wholly within the President’s authority.”

CNN - Rogoff's lawsuit is described as a legal challenge to the Trump administration's efforts to install its own picks in the powerful Justice Department posts.

KOMO - Rogoff stated, "His removal of me, like his removal of other court-appointed U.S. attorneys across the country, is illegal and cannot stand."

CNN - Rogoff's lawsuit states, “But no person has yet been nominated, let alone confirmed, to fill the vacancy.”

KOMO - Rogoff stated, "The President’s actions violate the law, and they ignore the protections of the Constitution of the United States."

NBC News - The lawsuit is described as a legal challenge to the Trump administration's efforts to install its own picks in the powerful Justice Department posts.

CNN - Rogoff's lawsuit contends that the law clearly states federal judges are allowed to select U.S. attorneys until the role has been filled by a Senate-confirmed nominee.

NBC News - Rogoff is the first U.S. attorney to sue over being removed after serving for 54 minutes.

KOMO - Rogoff was unanimously appointed to the job of U.S. attorney for western Washington by the federal judges in the district.

KOMO - Rogoff received an email from the Trump administration informing him that President Trump had ordered his termination shortly after he was sworn in.

CBS News Politics - Rogoff's district has not had a Senate-confirmed U.S. attorney since 2023.

CBS News Politics - Rogoff submitted his name for consideration with the federal bench last January after the judges signaled their intent to fill a vacancy created by the end of the 120-day term of Charles Neil Floyd, who had been named to the job last year by then-Attorney General Pam Bondi.

NBC News - Roger Rogoff is the first U.S. attorney to sue over being removed after serving for 54 minutes.

Alternet - Trump celebrated a Supreme Court judgment in Trump v Slaughter, stating, “90 years of precedent has been COMPLETELY AND UNEQUIVOCALLY OVERRULED, greatly increasing Presidential Power at a time when it is most needed!”

Alternet - The Supreme Court's decision in Trump v Slaughter overruled its own precedent set in 1935, granting the president the power to fire federal trade commissioner Rebecca Slaughter “at will.”

CNN - The lawsuit filed by Rogoff states, “District court judges can appoint a temporary U.S. Attorney, and POTUS can fire them,” according to acting Attorney General Todd Blanche.

CNN - The lawsuit claims that Rogoff’s firing gives Trump the ability to rewrite law, stating, “The President cannot grant himself the authority to make those interim appointments instead, nor can he rewrite (the law) to require presidential approval of the district court’s choice.”

CNN - Rogoff is suing the Trump administration for being fired less than one hour after being appointed by a panel of federal judges.

CBS News Politics - The lawsuit is the first of its kind against the Trump administration regarding the appointment of U.S. attorneys.

CNN - Rogoff's lawsuit argues that his firing violates the Constitution and that no person has been nominated or confirmed to fill the vacancy.

CNN - The lawsuit states, “The President cannot grant himself the authority to make those interim appointments instead, nor can he rewrite (the law) to require presidential approval of the district court’s choice.”

WHERE:

KOMO - Rogoff was fired from his role as U.S. attorney in Seattle shortly after judges on the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington appointed him to the job.

CNN - The lawsuit pertains to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington.

CBS News Politics - Rogoff was fired from his role as U.S. attorney in Seattle.

WHEN:

NBC News - Rogoff submitted his name for consideration with the federal bench last January after the judges signaled their intent to fill a vacancy created by the end of the 120-day term of Charles Neil Floyd.

CNN - Rogoff was appointed to the role last week before being fired less than an hour later.

CNN - The lawsuit was filed on a Tuesday.

WHY:

Alternet - The Supreme Court's ruling is seen as a triumph for the conservative supermajority, aiming to restructure the U.S. government according to the “unitary executive” theory of the constitution.

CNN - The lawsuit argues that the Trump administration's actions are part of a longstanding struggle to nominate and confirm President Trump’s picks for lead prosecutors across the country.

CNN - The lawsuit claims that the Trump administration's actions are part of a longstanding struggle to nominate and confirm President Trump’s picks for lead prosecutors across the country.

CNN - Todd Blanche stated that the judges abandoned the time-honored process of consultation with the administration.

HOW:

CBS News Politics - The Justice Department stated, “the district court did not coordinate with DOJ on this selection.”

Alternet - The Supreme Court's decision shifted power away from Congress to the president, allowing for unprecedented presidential authority over independent agencies.

CNN - The lawsuit asks for the Trump administration to abide by the judges’ pick for U.S. attorney, asserting that no person has yet been nominated or confirmed to fill the vacancy.

CNN - The lawsuit asks for the Trump administration to abide by the judges’ pick for U.S. attorney.

CNN - The Trump administration has exerted tight control over the federal justice system, leading to conflicts between district court judges and the administration.

(UPDATED July 22, 2026 21:19 UTC)

Roger Rogoff has made history as the first U.S. attorney to file a lawsuit after being removed from his position just 54 minutes into his tenure in Seattle. His lawsuit argues that the abrupt firing was unconstitutional, as no one has been nominated or confirmed to fill the vacancy left by his dismissal, which he claims disregards the authority of district court judges. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has stated that while district court judges can appoint a temporary U.S. Attorney, the President has the authority to fire them, a power recently reinforced by a Supreme Court decision in Trump v Slaughter.

(UPDATED July 22, 2026 20:22 UTC)

Rogoff has filed a groundbreaking lawsuit against Trump regarding the appointment of U.S. attorneys, claiming that his firing was unconstitutional. The lawsuit argues that district court judges have the authority to appoint a temporary U.S. Attorney, and that Trump overstepped his bounds by not allowing Rogoff to remain in the position until a Senate-confirmed nominee could be appointed. In response, the Justice Department stated that the district court did not coordinate with them on this selection and emphasized that the firing falls well within the President's authority.

(UPDATED July 22, 2026 18:19 UTC)

Rogoff has filed a lawsuit challenging Trump's administration over its attempts to appoint its own candidates to key positions in the Justice Department. The lawsuit argues that his firing was unconstitutional and ignored the judges' authority to appoint him until a Senate-confirmed nominee could take over. Rogoff emphasized that his removal, similar to that of other court-appointed U.S. attorneys, is illegal and should not be upheld, while the Justice Department maintains that the President acted within his rights.

(UPDATED July 22, 2026 14:41 UTC)

A new lawsuit has been filed by Rogoff, claiming that no one has been nominated or confirmed to fill a critical vacancy in the Justice Department. Rogoff argues that President Trump's actions violate the law and disregard constitutional protections, challenging the administration's attempts to appoint its own candidates to key positions. In response, the Justice Department has stated that the district court did not coordinate with them regarding this selection.

(UPDATED July 22, 2026 06:48 UTC)

Rogoff has filed a lawsuit claiming that his firing as U.S. attorney, just 54 minutes after his appointment, violates the Constitution and undermines the authority of federal judges to select U.S. attorneys until a Senate-confirmed nominee is in place. The Justice Department responded by stating that the district court did not coordinate with them on this selection and emphasized that such firings fall entirely within the President's authority. Rogoff's case marks the first instance of a U.S. attorney suing over their removal from office.

(UPDATED July 22, 2026 05:54 UTC)

Rogoff has been unanimously appointed as the U.S. attorney for western Washington by federal judges in the district, marking the first Senate-confirmed U.S. attorney for the area since 2023. However, shortly after being sworn in, he received an email from the Trump administration notifying him that President Trump had ordered his termination. The Justice Department clarified that the district court did not coordinate with them on this selection, emphasizing that such firings are entirely within the President’s authority.

(UPDATED July 22, 2026 00:13 UTC)

In a groundbreaking legal move, Roger Rogoff has become the first U.S. attorney to file a lawsuit after being removed from his position just 54 minutes into his tenure. Meanwhile, Trump celebrated a significant Supreme Court ruling in Trump v Slaughter, which overturned a 90-year-old precedent and granted him the authority to fire federal trade commissioner Rebecca Slaughter “at will.” This decision is viewed as a significant victory for the conservative supermajority on the Court, as it shifts power from Congress to the president and enhances presidential control over independent agencies.

(UPDATED July 21, 2026 23:17 UTC)

A lawsuit filed by Rogoff claims that President Trump's firing of a U.S. Attorney allows him to rewrite the law, arguing that he cannot grant himself the authority for interim appointments or require presidential approval for district court choices. The lawsuit highlights a broader struggle within the Trump administration to nominate and confirm his selections for lead prosecutors nationwide. It requests that the administration adhere to the judges’ choice for U.S. Attorney, noting that no one has been nominated or confirmed to fill the vacancy.

(UPDATED July 21, 2026 22:23 UTC)

Roger Rogoff, a former U.S. attorney and judge, is suing President Trump and the Trump administration after being fired less than an hour after his appointment by a panel of federal judges. This lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, argues that Rogoff's firing violates the Constitution and claims that no one has been nominated or confirmed to fill the vacancy left by his dismissal. The suit contends that the Trump administration's actions reflect a broader struggle to control the appointment of U.S. attorneys, with Rogoff seeking to have the administration respect the judges' choice for the position.