James W. Hundley, a veteran Virginia lawyer, was appointed interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia on Friday, only to be fired by the Justice Department hours later, a move that underscores ongoing tensions between federal judges and the executive branch over prosecutorial appointments.
The unanimous decision by the judges of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia to appoint Hundley came after a ruling determined that the previous appointment, Lindsey Halligan, was made illegally by the Trump administration. Halligan had resigned from the Justice Department in January, leaving the position vacant. Chief United States District Judge M. Hannah Lauck administered the Oath of Office to Hundley in Richmond, Virginia, on February 20, 2026.
Yet, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche swiftly overturned the judicial appointment, announcing Hundley’s dismissal via social media. “EDVA judges do not pick our US Attorney. POTUS does. James Hundley, you’re fired!” Blanche wrote, according to reports. The Justice Department’s action highlights a pattern of the White House challenging court-appointed prosecutors, including a similar instance last week in the Northern District of New York.
Hundley, who has 35 years of legal experience, including six years with the Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, was selected by the court as a temporary measure while a presidential nominee is considered. The appointment of an interim attorney is permissible after a period has passed without a nominee being named by the President, as outlined in 28 U.S.C. § 546(d). He had previously argued a case before the Supreme Court in 2000, Dickerson v. US, according to his law firm bio.
Halligan’s prior appointment had been controversial, as she led prosecutions against political opponents of the former president, including former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. Following Halligan’s resignation, the Justice Department had instructed prosecutors in the Eastern District of Virginia to reference Blanche in court filings.
The situation leaves the Eastern District of Virginia without a confirmed U.S. Attorney, and the Justice Department has not yet announced a replacement for Hundley.
