# Western Washington U.S. Attorney appointment dispute

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/western-washington-us-attorney-appointment-dispute
> Updated: 2026-10-01T20:17:41.000Z. Sources: 17. Developments: 2.

A legal dispute has emerged regarding the appointment and removal of the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington. Following a period of judicial instability, 17 judges in the district unanimously appointed Roger Rogoff to the position in July 2026 after the president failed to provide a Senate-confirmed nominee.

President Donald Trump dismissed Rogoff less than an hour after his appointment, prompting a legal challenge. U.S. District Judge Stanley Bastian subsequently blocked the dismissal, ruling that the president cannot unilaterally remove a U.S. attorney who was appointed by a federal district court. Judge Bastian stated that the ruling centers on the Constitution’s “separation of powers and the appointments clause,” noting that presidential authority to remove such officials is limited to those confirmed by the Senate. 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 ruling and intends to appeal. In response to the vacancy, President Trump has nominated Pete Serrano, a Republican and founder of the Silent Majority Foundation, to serve as the U.S. attorney for the district. Serrano is expected to face opposition from Washington’s Democratic senators.

## Claims

- Roger Rogoff has been the rightful holder of the office of US Attorney for the Western District of Washington since July 15, 2026. (corroborated by 11 sources)
- A president's power to remove US attorneys is limited to those confirmed by the Senate, not those appointed by courts. (corroborated by 11 sources)
- Interim US attorneys selected by the president are permitted to serve in a temporary role for a maximum of 120 days. (corroborated by 11 sources)
- The Department of Justice intends to appeal the ruling. (corroborated by 11 sources)

## Timeline

### 2026-10-01: Roger Rogoff reinstated as Seattle U.S. Attorney after judge blocks Trump firing

A federal judge ruled that President Trump cannot unilaterally fire Roger Rogoff, a U.S. Attorney appointed by a district court in Washington, citing constitutional separation of powers.

11 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/federal-judge-blocks-trump-from-firing-court-appointed-us-attorney

### 2026-09-15: Pete Serrano nominated by Trump for US attorney in Western Washington

President Donald Trump has nominated Pete Serrano, founder of the Silent Majority Foundation, to be the U.S. attorney for the Western District of Washington.

6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/pete-serrano-nominated-as-us-attorney-for-western-washington

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Cite as: Western Washington U.S. Attorney appointment dispute. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/western-washington-us-attorney-appointment-dispute