Roger Rogoff’s brief tenure as U.S. attorney for the Western District of Washington ended almost as soon as it began. Less than an hour after being sworn in Wednesday morning, Rogoff was informed that President Donald Trump had removed him from the position, escalating a growing dispute over who controls temporary U.S. attorney appointments.
Judges Appointed Rogoff to Fill Long-Vacant Post
Federal judges in the Western District of Washington appointed Rogoff under 28 U.S.C. § 546(d), a law that allows district judges to name a U.S. attorney when an interim appointment expires and no Senate-confirmed nominee is in place.
The court said the appointment was necessary to protect the effective administration of justice in the district. Reuters reported that the judges unanimously selected Rogoff after the district had gone about three years without a Senate-confirmed U.S. attorney.
Fired While Waiting to Meet Charles Neil Floyd
Rogoff was sworn in before 8 a.m. at the federal courthouse in Seattle.
After the ceremony, he went to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and was waiting to meet with Charles Neil Floyd, who had previously served as interim U.S. attorney and later became first assistant U.S. attorney. While Rogoff waited in the lobby, he received an email from the Trump administration saying he had been removed.
Rogoff Calls Firing Disappointing
Rogoff said the firing was not entirely unexpected, but still disappointing.
He told Reuters he is working with lawyers and may take legal action over his removal. He also said that, for someone who has spent his career in criminal law, serving as U.S. attorney would have been one of the highest professional honors available in the state.
Trump Administration Defends Removal
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche defended Trump’s action, saying district judges can appoint a temporary U.S. attorney but the president can fire them.
Blanche also said the Western District judges had abandoned the usual consultation process with the administration before selecting Rogoff. The Justice Department’s position is that the firing was within the president’s authority.
Patty Murray Criticizes Trump’s Decision
Washington Democratic Sen. Patty Murray criticized Rogoff’s removal and called him highly qualified.
She said Washington residents deserve a U.S. attorney who enforces the law fairly and responsibly. Murray also argued that Rogoff had been legally appointed by federal judges in the Western District of Washington.
Rogoff’s Legal Background
Rogoff has a long history in Washington’s legal system.
He previously served as director of the Washington State Office of Independent Investigations, worked as a King County prosecutor, served as an assistant U.S. attorney in Seattle and spent years as a King County Superior Court judge.
Reuters reported that he was also appointed by former Washington Gov. Jay Inslee to serve as both a state court judge and director of the state investigative office.
How the Vacancy Developed
The last presidentially nominated and Senate-confirmed U.S. attorney for the Western District of Washington was Nick Brown, who resigned in June 2023.
After Brown left, Tessa M. Gorman became acting U.S. attorney and later served as interim U.S. attorney. She was later removed by Trump in 2025. Floyd then served in an interim role, but that appointment was limited by law to 120 days.
Floyd Continued Leading the Office
Trump appointed Charles Neil Floyd as interim U.S. attorney in October 2025, but his name was not sent to the Senate for confirmation.
When his interim term expired, the administration shifted him into the role of first assistant U.S. attorney while the top post remained vacant. Reuters reported that Floyd continues to lead the office after Rogoff’s firing.
Judges Acted After No Senate Nominee Advanced
In January 2026, the judges of the Western District of Washington announced plans to fill the vacancy because no nominee had been confirmed by the Senate.
AP reported that the court used a bipartisan review process before appointing Rogoff, and the order was backed by 17 active and senior judges appointed by five presidents.
Broader Fight Over U.S. Attorney Appointments
Rogoff’s firing is part of a wider national conflict between the Trump administration and federal courts over temporary U.S. attorney appointments.
AP reported that similar disputes have occurred in New Jersey, Virginia, New York and other districts, where courts and the administration have clashed over who can serve when Senate-confirmed leadership is absent.
Possible Legal Challenge Ahead
Rogoff said he is considering legal action, though no timeline has been announced.
If he sues, the case could test the limits of presidential authority over court-appointed U.S. attorneys and the role federal judges may play when the executive branch leaves a district without a Senate-confirmed prosecutor.
Roger Rogoff’s appointment and rapid dismissal have turned the Western District of Washington’s U.S. attorney vacancy into a high-profile legal and political dispute.
Federal judges selected Rogoff under a statute allowing court appointments when interim terms expire, but Trump removed him less than an hour after he was sworn in.
With Rogoff considering legal action and the Justice Department defending the president’s authority, the dispute could become an important test of executive power, judicial authority and the future of temporary U.S. attorney appointments.