Federal judge disqualifies Trump-appointed prosecutor for ‘unlawfully serving’ in role

Key Points:

• A US judge ruled that Bill Essayli, the top federal prosecutor in southern California, was "unlawfully serving" as head of the US attorney’s office and disqualified him from overseeing two criminal prosecutions, though the ruling is not yet in effect pending appeal by the Department of Justice.
• Essayli, a former Republican state lawmaker and Trump ally, was appointed interim US attorney in April 2025 without Senate confirmation, and the Trump administration used various titles to keep him in the role despite legal challenges.
• The judge cited a recent federal appellate court ruling in a similar case to declare Essayli’s service illegal, stating he could no longer participate in or supervise prosecutions where his authority was questioned.
• Essayli and the Department of Justice maintain that the President and Attorney General have the right to appoint supervisors, and they plan to appeal the decision, potentially to the Supreme Court.
• Defense lawyer H Dean Steward called the ruling a victory for the rule of law, criticizing the Trump administration for repeatedly violating appointment laws to install loyalists as chief federal prosecutors.