Trump’s Handpicked Prosecutor Outside DC Cleans Out Office In Shock Move

Lindsey Halligan, special assistant to the president, speaks with a reporter outside of the White House, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

President Donald Trump’s handpicked U.S. prosecutor recently removed a senior prosecutor in Virginia as she continues a radical reshaping of the office.

In late September, it was announced that Lindsey Halligan would replace Erik Siebert as the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. Siebert previously resigned over his refusal to prosecute New York Attorney General Letitia James.

Trump’s choice of Halligan was a confounding one, as Halligan has never prosecuted a federal criminal case before. Her legal experience was limited to insurance law, which she practiced in Florida.

Prior to Trump’s appointment of Halligan in Virginia — and after Siebert’s resignation — senior Justice Department prosecutor Maggie Cleary held the position. According to a Wednesday report from CNN, she’s since been removed from the office entirely:

It’s unclear if Cleary is still employed by the Justice Department, potentially now in a different role, the sources said. She couldn’t be reached immediately on Monday, and a Justice Department spokesman declined to comment.

One source told CNN that Halligan was “interested in moving around prosecutors who she believed may oppose her work on highly politicized cases.” Cleary notably opposed the Trump administration’s decision to indict former FBI director James Comey. The indictment came after the president publicly pressured his own DOJ to take action.