Trump fires US attorney after 54 minutes; lawsuit filed

Roger Rogoff was dismissed 54 minutes after being sworn in as U.S. attorney for the Western District of Washington.

Rogoff filed a lawsuit arguing the Trump administration lacked legal authority to remove him from the court-appointed position.

He was selected by a panel of federal judges, including both Democratic and Republican appointees, to fill the vacant role.

The lawsuit challenges whether presidents can dismiss court-appointed U.S. attorneys before a Senate-confirmed replacement takes office.

The Trump administration defended the firing as within presidential authority, with Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche stating, "District court judges can appoint a temporary US Attorney, and POTUS can fire them."