Halligan Sworn In as Interim U.S. Attorney in Eastern District of Virginia, Expected to Pursue Comey and Letitia James
36-year-old former Miss Colorado finalist and Trump attorney steps into interim role, with grand jury duties and a mortgage fraud probe on the horizon
Lindsey Halligan, a 36-year-old attorney and former Miss Colorado finalist, was sworn in Monday as interim U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, stepping into the job after Erik Siebert was removed amid a dispute over pursuing charges against New York Attorney General Letitia James. Halligan is expected to pursue charges against former FBI Director James Comey and James, according to people familiar with the matter. She also will oversee a mortgage fraud–related probe into a Norfolk home purchased in 2023 and will present evidence to a grand jury that Comey allegedly lied to Congress.
Halligan grew up in Colorado, where her parents worked in healthcare and she played basketball and softball at a private Catholic school in Broomfield. She studied broadcast journalism at Regis University in Denver and earned a law degree from the University of Miami School of Law in 2013. During law school she interned for the Innocence Project and for the Miami-Dade County public defender’s office. A former professor described her as smart, respectful and well-liked.
Her professional path has centered on insurance defense. After law school she joined Cole, Scott & Kissane, a Fort Lauderdale firm, where she represented insurers in disputes with property owners and became a partner in 2018. She has appeared on television defending Trump, including coverage around the FBI’s August 2022 search of Mar-a-Lago. She later represented him in a defamation suit against CNN that was dismissed. In March 2025 she joined the White House as senior associate staff secretary, and Trump later assigned her to lead an initiative to remove improper ideology from Smithsonian museums, the National Zoo, and other facilities. Halligan is known for her courtroom presence and her media visibility, often appearing in designer suits on television and at public events.
Notably, court records show Halligan has worked on only three federal cases, all while serving as one of Trump’s personal attorneys. Her trajectory from private practice to the White House and now to the judiciary’s prosecutorial side underscores the unusual path that led to her interim U.S. attorney appointment. In 2021 she met Trump at a West Palm Beach golf course, and she joined his legal team the following year. Halligan was present during the FBI’s Mar-a-Lago search and later defended Trump in a defamation suit against CNN that was dismissed. She also attended a US Open tennis match with Trump, illustrating her elevated profile in conservative circles.
As interim U.S. attorney, Halligan will serve without Senate confirmation for up to 120 days unless extended by federal judges or confirmed by the Senate. The appointment places her at the center of high-profile matters that could shape federal enforcement in the district, including the Comey grand jury presentation and the Norfolk mortgage fraud inquiry.
Her ascent comes amid broader questions about leadership and prosecutorial priorities in federal districts that have handled politically sensitive investigations. Siebert’s departure was reported as a push-out following friction over whether to pursue charges against James, and Halligan inheres a portfolio that includes politically charged topics, as well as routine federal enforcement. Halligan’s office will also be responsible for coordinating grand jury activity in those matters and coordinating with federal investigators to determine whether further charges or indictments are warranted.
The move signals a continued emphasis on high-stakes investigations in Virginia, a state that has seen extensive federal activity in recent years. As Halligan steps into the role, prosecutors and defense observers will watch how she manages the workload, maintains prosecutorial independence, and navigates the district’s evolving priorities while awaiting a potential Senate confirmation. The public will be watching closely to see whether these cases will proceed in federal courts and how Halligan’s leadership may influence the trajectory of ongoing inquiries.