The Trump administration fired Roger Rogoff as the US attorney for the Western District of Washington in Seattle within less than an hour of his being appointed by federal judges, escalating a dispute over who has authority to fill the role. The clash reflects a broader tussle between the White House and federal courts over control of interim US attorney appointments, an issue that has surfaced in other districts where the administration has sought to sideline judicially-installed prosecutors it did not choose.

Rogoff had been appointed to the temporary post by district court judges in Seattle under a statutory provision allowing courts to fill vacancies when the administration's chosen nominee's interim term expires. The administration moved swiftly to remove him, underlining its determination to keep control of the appointment rather than accept the court's pick, though the article does not detail who the administration intends to install in his place.