Former Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel Named Interim U.S. Attorney
Milwaukee, WI – November 17, 2025 – Brad Schimel, former Wisconsin Attorney General, has been appointed as the interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, the Department of justice announced today.Schimel’s appointment comes after the departure of Gregory Haanstad, who was removed by the Trump management as part of a broader changeover of Biden-era appointees.
The appointment places the former Attorney General at the helm of the office responsible for federal criminal prosecutions and civil enforcement in the eastern third of the state, including milwaukee. Schimel’s interim position lasts for 120 days, though district court judges have the authority to extend his tenure. This change in leadership arrives as the U.S.Attorney’s Office navigates evolving priorities in national security and public safety.
Schimel served as Wisconsin’s Attorney General from 2015 to 2019. Richard Frohling, an assistant U.S. attorney since 2015, has been serving as the acting U.S. attorney for approximately nine months and will now become Schimel’s first assistant.
Wisconsin has two U.S. Attorney districts. Chadwick ElgersmacurrentlyservesastheactingUSattorneyfortheWesternDistrictbasedinMadisonandhasheldtherolesinceJune282025ElgersmaaformerFBIspecialagentandassistantUSattorneystateduponhisappointmentthathisofficewillfocusonprotectingnationalsecurityandcurbingtheflowofillegaldrugsandpeopleintothecountry