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Top Prosecutor Ousted in Eastern District of Virginia Amidst Office Turmoil
Alexandria, VA – The Eastern District of Virginia’s U.S. Attorney’s Office is once again making headlines, this time with the abrupt firing of its top career prosecutor, Robert McBride. The move, confirmed by three sources familiar with the situation on Monday, marks the latest shake-up in an office already grappling with significant internal strife and legal challenges.
McBride, who served as the number two to U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan for only a few weeks, found himself at the center of a politically charged environment. Halligan, President Donald Trump’s appointee to lead the office, has seen her authority questioned and even undercut in court, leading to a period of instability within the powerful prosecutorial body.
His removal, reportedly supported by Justice Department leadership in Washington, leaves the office without a senior prosecutor to manage daily operations, oversee ongoing investigations, and guide critical cases – including those championed by Halligan herself. McBride had quickly taken on key responsibilities, even meeting with Eastern District of Virginia judges, a role typically reserved for U.S. Attorneys.
The turmoil in the Alexandria office has been ongoing for months, stemming from the forced departure of Trump’s initial choice for U.S. Attorney and the subsequent removal of other seasoned prosecutors.
Since then, Halligan’s efforts to indict former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James have faced considerable pushback. Judges have repeatedly challenged Halligan’s authority, leading the department to file court documents bearing the names of Halligan, McBride, and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche to address questions of leadership.
A judge in Washington, D.C., largely prevented the office from reviving the case against Comey, while grand juries in the district have twice refused to re-indict James on mortgage fraud accusations.
Sources close to McBride’s departure suggest lingering questions within the U.S. Attorney’s Office about his alignment with Halligan and other department officials regarding the future of the Comey and James cases. Several line prosecutors involved in these heavily politicized cases have also since left the office.
Adding to the complexity, political appointees within the Trump administration were reportedly dissatisfied with McBride. Concerns were raised about his lack of regular meetings with other law enforcement entities and a perceived reluctance to prioritize immigration-related cases, which some in the department desired.
Efforts to reach McBride for comment are currently underway. The initial report of McBride’s removal came from MS NOW.
This story will be updated as more details emerge.