2017 dismissal of U.S. attorneys

On March 10, 2017, Jeff Sessions, who was appointed United States Attorney General by President Donald Trump, requested the resignations of 46 United States Attorneys. Some resignations were declined by Sessions or Trump. Media outlets described Sessions's move as abrupt and unexpected, but not unprecedented. The other 47 U.S. Attorneys had previously tendered their resignations upon Trump's inauguration.

Trump declined to accept the resignations of Boente, who serves as Acting Deputy Attorney General, and Rosenstein, whom Trump has selected to become Deputy Attorney General. Trump also allowed Daly and Hartunian to remain in office for a period of several months until they completed 20 years of service at the Justice Department.

Initial media reports described Sessions' move as abrupt and unexpected, but not unprecedented.Slate's Leon Neyfakh accused media outlets of sensationalizing Sessions' actions, which he said were "nothing particularly unusual or surprising", and noted the mass firings of U.S. attorneys accompanying each presidential transition.National Review pointed out that Janet Reno began her tenure as President Bill Clinton's attorney general in March of 1993 by firing U.S. attorneys for 93 of the 94 federal districts, this being more than twice as many as Trump attorney general Sessions fired on Friday.The Washington Post contrasted the Trump administration's decision with those of George W. Bush and Barack Obama, who replaced U.S. attorneys gradually.

Sessions' move came less than 24 hours after Sean Hannity, the Fox News commentator and host of The Sean Hannity Show, called for the "immediate expulsion", or a "purge", of Obama appointees at the United States Justice Department in his show's opening monologue.

...
Wikipedia