The Illegal Appointments No One Was Supposed to Notice

Inside the coordinated scheme to install unconfirmed prosecutors—and what it means for the rule of law.

On November 24, 2025, a federal judge ruled that Lindsey Halligan, a Trump-appointed interim U.S. Attorney overseeing high-profile investigations, had been unlawfully serving in her role. Halligan, best known as a political loyalist and on-air defender of the former president, had never been confirmed by the Senate, had never been nominated for the posi…