Roger Rogoff was officially sworn in as U.S. attorney for Washington state's Western District on Wednesday morning after being selected by the district's federal judges.

Less than an hour later, President Donald Trump fired him, igniting a legal dispute over a federal law that allows judges to appoint a U.S. attorney when the White House has not submitted a nominee for Senate confirmation.

Rogoff, who recently stepped down as director of Washington state's Office of Independent Investigations, had been selected by the district's 17 sitting federal judges after the White House did not formally nominate a permanent replacement for former U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd. Instead, Trump had appointed Floyd as interim U.S. attorney before later naming him "first assistant" U.S. attorney, a move that allowed the administration to avoid the Senate confirmation process.

Rogoff said he was waiting in the lobby of the U.S. District Courthouse in downtown Seattle to meet Floyd and formally assume the office when he received an email informing him that he had been dismissed.

"We are working on legal action right now," Rogoff said. "The rule of law requires that prosecutorial decisions remain free from political interference, and that lawful judicial appointments be respected. I remain grateful for the confidence placed in me and proud of the career professionals who continue to serve the people of Western Washington."

His dismissal is expected to spark a legal challenge over a federal law that allows district judges to appoint a U.S. attorney when the president has not submitted a nominee for Senate confirmation.

Floyd, a former immigration judge known for his hardline approach, was appointed by Trump last October. However, his nomination was never sent to the U.S. Senate for confirmation.

Rogoff's legal team is preparing to sue the Trump administration and the U.S. Department of Justice, arguing that the president's action unlawfully overrode a judicial appointment.

The administration has previously dismissed court-appointed U.S. attorneys in similar circumstances. Among them was Tessa Gorman in Western Washington, who was replaced by Floyd. In another case, Donald Kinsella, appointed by a panel of federal judges to serve as U.S. attorney for New York's Northern District in February 2026, was sworn in and then fired by the White House within hours.