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Roger Rogoff reinstated as Seattle U.S. Attorney after judge blocks Trump firing
A federal judge has blocked President Donald Trump from removing Roger Rogoff as the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington. U.S. District Judge Stanley Bastian ruled that the president cannot unilaterally dismiss a U.S. attorney who has been appointed by a federal district court.
Rogoff, a former judge and veteran prosecutor, was appointed by the district's 17 active and senior judges in July after the administration failed to fill the vacancy with a Senate-confirmed nominee. President Trump fired Rogoff via email less than an hour after he took the oath of office on July 15, 2026.
Judge Bastian stated that the ruling centers on the Constitution’s separation of powers and the appointments clause. He noted that while the president can nominate Senate-confirmed attorneys, the authority to remove is limited to those confirmed by the Senate, not those appointed by the court to fill vacancies. The judge argued that allowing the president to fire court-appointed attorneys would undermine the incentive for the executive branch to nominate candidates for Senate confirmation.
The Department of Justice has expressed disagreement with the decision and announced its intention to appeal the ruling.
Entities
Department of Justice · Donald Trump · Roger Rogoff · Stanley Bastian · Western District of Washington
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 11 SOURCES] Roger Rogoff has been the rightful holder of the office of US Attorney for the Western District of Washington since July 15, 2026. kioncentralcoast.com · kesq.com · kvia.com · therightscoop.com · internewscast.com · +6 more
- [● 11 SOURCES] Interim US attorneys selected by the president are permitted to serve in a temporary role for a maximum of 120 days. kioncentralcoast.com · kesq.com · kvia.com · therightscoop.com · internewscast.com · +6 more
- [● 11 SOURCES] A president's power to remove US attorneys is limited to those confirmed by the Senate, not those appointed by courts. kioncentralcoast.com · kesq.com · kvia.com · therightscoop.com · internewscast.com · +6 more
- [● 11 SOURCES] The Department of Justice intends to appeal the ruling. kioncentralcoast.com · kesq.com · kvia.com · therightscoop.com · internewscast.com · +6 more