United States Attorney General

Head of the US Department of Justice

United States Attorney General

Seal of the Department of Justice

Flag of the attorney general

Incumbent
Pam Bondi

since February 5, 2025

United States Department of Justice
Style| Madam Attorney General (informal)
The Honorable (formal)
Member of| Cabinet
National Security Council
Homeland Security Council
Reports to| President
Seat| Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building
Washington, D.C.
Appointer| President
with Senate advice and consent
Term length| No fixed term
Constituting instrument| 28 U.S.C. § 503
Formation| September 26, 1789
First holder| Edmund Randolph
Succession| Seventh[1]
Deputy| Deputy Attorney General
Salary| Executive Schedule, Level I[2]
Website| www.justice.gov/ag

The United States attorney general is the head of the United States Department of Justice and serves as the chief law enforcement officer of the federal government. The attorney general acts as the principal legal advisor to the president of the United States on all legal matters. The attorney general is also a statutory member of the Cabinet of the United States and a member of the United States National Security Council. Additionally, the attorney general is seventh in the presidential line of succession.

Under the Appointments Clause of the United States Constitution, the officeholder is nominated by the president of the United States, and, following a confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, will take office if confirmed by the majority of the full United States Senate. The attorney general is supported by the Office of the Attorney General, which includes executive staff and several deputy attorneys general.

The attorney general is a Level I position in the Executive Schedule and thus earns the salary prescribed for that level: $250,600, as of January 2025.

## Name

[edit]

The title, "Attorney General" is an example of a noun (attorney) followed by a postpositive adjective (general).[3] "General" is a description of the type of attorney, not a title or rank in itself (as it would be in the military).[3] Even though the attorney general (and the similarly titled solicitor general) is occasionally referred to as "General" or "General [last name]" by senior government officials, this is considered incorrect in standard American English usage.[3][4] For the same reason, the correct American English plural form is "attorneys general" rather than "attorney generals".[4]

## History

[edit]

See also: United States Department of Justice § History

Seal of the Department of Justice

Congress passed the Judiciary Act of 1789 which, among other things, established the Office of the Attorney General. The original duties of this officer were "to prosecute and conduct all suits in the Supreme Court in which the United States shall be concerned, and to give his advice and opinion upon questions of law when required by the president of the United States, or when requested by the heads of any of the departments".[5] Some of these duties have since been transferred to the United States solicitor general and the White House counsel.

The Department of Justice was established in 1870 to support the attorneys general in the discharge of their responsibilities.

The secretary of state, the secretary of the treasury, the secretary of defense, and the attorney general are regarded as the four most important Cabinet officials in the United States because of the size and importance of their respective departments.[6]

The attorney general is a Level I position in the Executive Schedule,[2] thus earning a salary of US$221,400, as of January 2021.[7]

## Duties and Responsibilities

[edit]

The attorney general's duties and responsibilities as the chief law enforcement officer of the federal government include overseeing the United States Department of Justice, enforcing federal laws, and providing both formal and informal legal advice and opinions to the president of the United States, the cabinet, and the heads of executive departments and agencies. The attorney general represents the federal government in legal matters and supervises the administration and operation of the Department of Justice, which includes the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Attorneys, and the United States Marshals Service.[8]

Additionally, the attorney general advises the president of the United States on appointments to federal judicial positions and Department of Justice roles, including U.S. Attorneys and U.S. Marshals. While the attorney general may represent the United States in the Supreme Court and other courts, this is typically handled by the solicitor general.[9][10] The attorney general also performs or supervises other duties as required by statute or executive order.

The attorney general manages legal issues involving public safety, civil rights, and national security. The attorney general also communicates legal concerns to Congress and ensures compliance with federal laws across states. The attorney general's role occasionally evolves through congressional legislation. For example, in 2001, the PATRIOT Act expanded the department's surveillance and investigative authority in matters of terrorism and national security, significantly impacting the scope of the attorney general’s responsibilities.[11] Additional duties include supervising federal penitentiaries and administering the United States Federal Witness Protection Program.

## Presidential transition

[edit]

It is the practice for the attorney general, along with the other Cabinet secretaries and high-level political appointees of the president, to tender a resignation with effect on the Inauguration Day (January 20) of a new president. The deputy attorney general is also expected to tender a resignation, but is commonly requested to stay on and act as the attorney general pending the confirmation by the Senate of the new attorney general.

For example, upon the inauguration of President Donald Trump on January 20, 2017, then-Attorney General Loretta Lynch left her position, so then-Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates, who had also tendered her resignation, was asked to stay on to serve as the acting attorney general until the confirmation of the new attorney general Jeff Sessions, who had been nominated for the office in November 2016 by then-President-elect Donald Trump.[12][a]

## List of attorneys general

[edit]

### Parties

[edit]

Federalist (4)  Democratic-Republican (5)  Democratic (34)  Whig (4)  Republican (41)

### Status

[edit]

Denotes service as acting attorneys general before appointment or after resignation

No.  | Portrait  | Name  | State of residence  | Took office  | Left office  | President(s)

|
|
|
|
|
|

1 |  | Edmund Randolph | Virginia | September 26, 1789 | January 26, 1794 |  | George Washington
(1789–1797)
2 |  | William Bradford | Pennsylvania | January 27, 1794 | August 23, 1795
3 |  | Charles Lee | Virginia | December 10, 1795 | February 19, 1801
| John Adams
(1797–1801)
4 |  | Levi Lincoln Sr. | Massachusetts | March 5, 1801 | March 2, 1805 |  | Thomas Jefferson
(1801–1809)
5 |  | John Breckinridge | Kentucky | August 7, 1805 | December 14, 1806
6 |  | Caesar Augustus Rodney | Delaware | January 20, 1807 | December 10, 1811
| James Madison
(1809–1817)
7 |  | William Pinkney | Maryland | December 11, 1811 | February 9, 1814
8 |  | Richard Rush | Pennsylvania | February 10, 1814 | November 12, 1817
9 |  | William Wirt | Virginia | November 13, 1817 | March 4, 1829 |  | James Monroe
(1817–1825)
| John Quincy Adams
(1825–1829)
10 |  | John Macpherson Berrien | Georgia | March 9, 1829 | July 19, 1831 |  | Andrew Jackson
(1829–1837)
11 |  | Roger B. Taney | Maryland | July 20, 1831 | November 14, 1833
12 |  | Benjamin Franklin Butler | New York | November 15, 1833 | July 4, 1838
| Martin Van Buren
(1837–1841)
13 |  | Felix Grundy | Tennessee | July 5, 1838 | January 10, 1840
14 |  | Henry D. Gilpin | Pennsylvania | January 11, 1840 | March 4, 1841
15  |  | John J. Crittenden
1st term | Kentucky | March 5, 1841 | September 12, 1841 |  | William Henry Harrison
(1841)
| John Tyler
(1841–1845)
16 |  | Hugh S. Legaré | South Carolina | September 13, 1841 | June 20, 1843
17  |  | John Nelson | Maryland | July 1, 1843 | March 4, 1845
18 |  | John Y. Mason | Virginia | March 5, 1845 | October 16, 1846 |  | James K. Polk
(1845–1849)
19 |  | Nathan Clifford | Maine | October 17, 1846 | March 17, 1848
20 |  | Isaac Toucey | Connecticut | June 21, 1848 | March 4, 1849
21  |  | Reverdy Johnson | Maryland | March 8, 1849 | July 21, 1850 |  | Zachary Taylor
(1849–1850)
22  |  | John J. Crittenden
2nd term | Kentucky | July 22, 1850 | March 4, 1853 |  | Millard Fillmore
(1850–1853)
23 |  | Caleb Cushing | Massachusetts | March 7, 1853 | March 4, 1857 |  | Franklin Pierce
(1853–1857)
24 |  | Jeremiah S. Black | Pennsylvania | March 6, 1857 | December 16, 1860 |  | James Buchanan
(1857–1861)
25 |  | Edwin Stanton | Pennsylvania | December 20, 1860 | March 4, 1861
26 |  | Edward Bates | Missouri | March 5, 1861 | November 24, 1864 |  | Abraham Lincoln
(1861–1865)
27 |  | James Speed | Kentucky | December 2, 1864 | July 22, 1866
| Andrew Johnson
(1865–1869)
28 |  | Henry Stanbery | Ohio | July 23, 1866 | July 16, 1868
29 |  | William M. Evarts | New York | July 17, 1868 | March 4, 1869
30 |  | Ebenezer R. Hoar | Massachusetts | March 5, 1869 | November 22, 1870 |  | Ulysses S. Grant
(1869–1877)
31 |  | Amos T. Akerman | Georgia | November 23, 1870 | December 13, 1871
32 |  | George Henry Williams | Oregon | December 14, 1871 | April 25, 1875
33 |  | Edwards Pierrepont | New York | April 26, 1875 | May 21, 1876
34 |  | Alphonso Taft | Ohio | May 22, 1876 | March 4, 1877
35 |  | Charles Devens | Massachusetts | March 12, 1877 | March 4, 1881 |  | Rutherford B. Hayes
(1877–1881)
36 |  | Wayne MacVeagh | Pennsylvania | March 5, 1881 | December 15, 1881 |  | James A. Garfield
(1881)
| Chester A. Arthur
(1881–1885)
37 |  | Benjamin H. Brewster | Pennsylvania | December 16, 1881 | March 4, 1885
38 |  | Augustus Garland | Arkansas | March 6, 1885 | March 4, 1889 |  | Grover Cleveland
(1885–1889)
39 |  | William H. H. Miller | Indiana | March 7, 1889 | March 4, 1893 |  | Benjamin Harrison
(1889–1893)
40 |  | Richard Olney | Massachusetts | March 6, 1893 | April 7, 1895 |  | Grover Cleveland
(1893–1897)
41 |  | Judson Harmon | Ohio | April 8, 1895 | March 4, 1897
42 |  | Joseph McKenna | California | March 5, 1897 | January 25, 1898 |  | William McKinley
(1897–1901)
43 |  | John W. Griggs | New Jersey | January 25, 1898 | March 29, 1901
44 |  | Philander C. Knox | Pennsylvania | April 5, 1901 | June 30, 1904
| Theodore Roosevelt
(1901–1909)
45 |  | William Henry Moody | Massachusetts | July 1, 1904 | December 17, 1906
46 |  | Charles Bonaparte | Maryland | December 17, 1906 | March 4, 1909
47 |  | George W. Wickersham | New York | March 4, 1909 | March 4, 1913 |  | William Howard Taft
(1909–1913)
48 |  | James McReynolds | Tennessee | March 5, 1913 | August 29, 1914 |  | Woodrow Wilson
(1913–1921)
49 |  | Thomas Watt Gregory | Texas | August 29, 1914 | March 4, 1919
50 |  | A. Mitchell Palmer | Pennsylvania | March 5, 1919 | March 4, 1921
51 |  | Harry M. Daugherty | Ohio | March 4, 1921 | April 6, 1924 |  | Warren G. Harding
(1921–1923)
| Calvin Coolidge
(1923–1929)
52 |  | Harlan F. Stone | New York | April 7, 1924 | March 1, 1925
53 |  | John G. Sargent | Vermont | March 7, 1925 | March 4, 1929
54 |  | William D. Mitchell | Minnesota | March 4, 1929 | March 4, 1933 |  | Herbert Hoover
(1929–1933)
55 |  | Homer Stille Cummings | Connecticut | March 4, 1933 | January 1, 1939 |  | Franklin D. Roosevelt
(1933–1945)
56 |  | Frank Murphy | Michigan | January 2, 1939 | January 18, 1940
57 |  | Robert H. Jackson | New York | January 18, 1940 | August 25, 1941
58 |  | Francis Biddle | Pennsylvania | August 26, 1941 | June 26, 1945 |  | Harry S. Truman
(1945–1953)
59 |  | Tom C. Clark | Texas | June 27, 1945 | July 26, 1949
60 |  | J. Howard McGrath | Rhode Island | July 27, 1949 | April 3, 1952
61 |  | James P. McGranery | Pennsylvania | April 4, 1952 | January 20, 1953
62 |  | Herbert Brownell Jr. | New York | January 21, 1953 | October 23, 1957 |  | Dwight D. Eisenhower
(1953–1961)
63 |  | William P. Rogers | New York | October 23, 1957 | January 20, 1961
64 |  | Robert F. Kennedy | Massachusetts | January 20, 1961 | September 3, 1964 |  | John F. Kennedy
(1961–1963)
| Lyndon B. Johnson
(1963–1969)
65 |  | Nicholas Katzenbach | Illinois | September 4, 1964[b] | January 28, 1965
January 28, 1965 | November 28, 1966
66 |  | Ramsey Clark | Texas | November 28, 1966[b] | March 10, 1967
March 10, 1967 | January 20, 1969
67 |  | John N. Mitchell | New York | January 20, 1969 | February 15, 1972 |  | Richard Nixon
(1969–1974)
68 |  | Richard Kleindienst | Arizona | February 15, 1972 | April 30, 1973[14]
69 |  | Elliot Richardson | Massachusetts | May 25, 1973[14] | October 20, 1973
– |  | Robert Bork[c]
Acting | Pennsylvania | October 20, 1973 | January 4, 1974
70 |  | William B. Saxbe | Ohio | January 4, 1974 | February 2, 1975
| Gerald Ford
(1974–1977)
71 |  | Edward H. Levi | Illinois | February 2, 1975 | January 20, 1977
– |  | Dick Thornburgh[d]
Acting | Pennsylvania | January 20, 1977 | January 26, 1977 |  | Jimmy Carter
(1977–1981)
72 |  | Griffin Bell | Georgia | January 26, 1977 | August 16, 1979
73 |  | Benjamin Civiletti | Maryland | August 16, 1979 | January 19, 1981
74 |  | William French Smith | California | January 23, 1981 | February 25, 1985 |  | Ronald Reagan
(1981–1989)
75 |  | Edwin Meese | California | February 25, 1985 | August 12, 1988
76 |  | Dick Thornburgh | Pennsylvania | August 12, 1988 | August 15, 1991
| George H. W. Bush
(1989–1993)
77 |  | William Barr
1st term | Virginia | August 16, 1991[b] | November 26, 1991
November 26, 1991 | January 20, 1993
– |  | Stuart M. Gerson[e]
Acting | Washington, D.C. | January 20, 1993 | March 12, 1993 |  | Bill Clinton
(1993–2001)
78 |  | Janet Reno | Florida | March 12, 1993 | January 20, 2001
– |  | Eric Holder[f]
Acting | Washington, D.C. | January 20, 2001 | February 2, 2001 |  | George W. Bush
(2001–2009)
79 |  | John Ashcroft | Missouri | February 2, 2001 | February 3, 2005
80 |  | Alberto Gonzales | Texas | February 3, 2005 | September 17, 2007
– |  | Paul Clement[g]
Acting | Washington, D.C.  | September 17, 2007 | September 18, 2007
– |  | Peter Keisler[g]
Acting | Washington, D.C.  | September 18, 2007 | November 9, 2007
81 |  | Michael Mukasey | New York | November 9, 2007 | January 20, 2009
– |  | Mark Filip
Acting | Illinois | January 20, 2009 | February 3, 2009 |  | Barack Obama
(2009–2017)
82 |  | Eric Holder | Washington, D.C. | February 3, 2009 | April 27, 2015
83 |  | Loretta Lynch | New York | April 27, 2015 | January 20, 2017
– |  | Sally Yates[h]
Acting | Georgia | January 20, 2017 | January 30, 2017 |  | Donald Trump
(2017–2021)
– |  | Dana Boente
Acting | Virginia | January 30, 2017 | February 9, 2017
84 |  | Jeff Sessions | Alabama | February 9, 2017 | November 7, 2018
– |  | Rod Rosenstein
Acting[i] | Maryland | November 7, 2018 | November 7, 2018
– |  | Matthew Whitaker
Acting[j] | Iowa | November 7, 2018 | February 14, 2019
85 |  | William Barr
2nd term | Virginia | February 14, 2019 | December 23, 2020
– |  | Jeffrey A. Rosen
Acting | Massachusetts | December 24, 2020 | January 20, 2021
– |  | John Demers
Acting[k] | Massachusetts | January 20, 2021 | January 20, 2021 |  | Joe Biden
(2021–2025)
– |  | Monty Wilkinson
Acting | Washington, D.C. | January 20, 2021 | March 11, 2021
86 |  | Merrick Garland | Maryland | March 11, 2021 | January 20, 2025
– |  | James McHenry[29]
Acting |  | January 20, 2025 | February 5, 2025  |  | Donald Trump
(2025–present)
87 |  | Pam Bondi | Florida | February 5, 2025  | Incumbent

## Line of succession

[edit]

28 U.S.C. § 508 establishes the first two positions in the line of succession, while allowing the attorney general to designate other high-ranking officers of the Department of Justice as subsequent successors.[30] Furthermore, an Executive Order defines subsequent positions, the most recent from March 31, 2017, signed by President Donald Trump.[31] The current line of succession is:

1. United States Deputy Attorney General
2. United States Associate Attorney General
3. Other officers potentially designated by the attorney general (in no particular order):
* Solicitor General of the United States
* Assistant Attorney General, Antitrust Division
* Assistant Attorney General, Civil Division
* Assistant Attorney General, Civil Rights Division
* Assistant Attorney General, Criminal Division
* Assistant Attorney General, National Security Division
* Assistant Attorney General, Environment and Natural Resources Division
* Assistant Attorney General, Justice Management Division
* Assistant Attorney General, Tax Division
* Assistant Attorney General, Office of Justice Programs
* Assistant Attorney General, Office of Legal Counsel
* Assistant Attorney General, Office of Legal Policy
* Assistant Attorney General, Office of Legislative Affairs
4. United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia
5. United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina
6. United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas

## Notable figures

[edit]

* First Italian American male: Charles Joseph Bonaparte in 1906[32]
* First Jewish American male: Edward H. Levi in 1975[33]
* First female: Janet Reno in 1993[34]
* First Hispanic American male: Alberto Gonzales in 2005[35]
* First African American male: Eric Holder in 2009[36]
* First African American female: Loretta Lynch in 2015[37]

## See also

[edit]

* Executive Order 13787 for "Providing an Order of Succession Within the Department of Justice"

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Unusually for a transitional acting appointment, Yates was dismissed and replaced with another Acting Attorney General before Sessions was confirmed because she refused to defend an executive order of the incoming administration.[13]
2. ^ a b c Served as acting attorney general in his capacity as deputy attorney general, until his own appointment and confirmation as attorney general.
3. ^ On October 20, 1973, Solicitor General Robert Bork became acting attorney general following the "Saturday Night Massacre", in which U.S. Attorney General Elliot Richardson and Deputy Attorney General William Ruckelshaus both resigned.
4. ^ Served as acting attorney general in his capacity as deputy attorney general, until the appointment of a new attorney general. Thornburgh later served as attorney general from 1988–1991.
5. ^ Served as acting attorney general in his capacity as Assistant Attorney General for the DOJ Civil Division.[15] Gerson was fourth in the line of succession at the Justice Department, but other senior DOJ officials had already resigned.[16] Janet Reno, President Clinton's nominee for attorney general, was confirmed on March 12,[17] and he resigned the same day.[17]
6. ^ Served as acting attorney general in his capacity as deputy attorney general, until the appointment of a new attorney general. Holder later served as attorney general from 2009–2015.
7. ^ a b On August 27, 2007, President Bush named Solicitor General Paul Clement as the future acting attorney general, to take office upon the resignation of Alberto Gonzales, effective September 17, 2007.[18] On September 17, President Bush announced that Assistant Attorney General for the DOJ Civil Division Peter Keisler would become acting attorney general, pending a permanent appointment of a presidential nominee.[19][20] According to administration officials, Clement became acting attorney general at 12:01 am September 17, 2007, and left office 24 hours later.[21] Keisler served as acting attorney general until the confirmation of Michael Mukasey on November 9, 2007.
8. ^ Served as acting attorney general in her capacity as deputy attorney general, until she was fired after saying the Department of Justice would not defend an executive order in court.[22]
9. ^ Following the resignation of Jeff Sessions as attorney general at the request of President Donald Trump, Rosenstein served as acting attorney general in his capacity as deputy attorney general for a few hours on November 7, 2018 until Trump signed an executive order naming Matthew Whitaker as acting attorney general later that day.[23]
10. ^ The legality of Matthew Whitaker's appointment as acting attorney general was called into question by several constitutional scholars. Among those included Neal Katyal and George T. Conway III, who asserted it is unconstitutional, because the Attorney General is a principal officer under the Appointments Clause, and thus requires senate consent, even in an acting capacity.[24] Maryland filed an injunction against Whitaker's appointment on this basis.[25] John E. Bies at Lawfare regarded it as an unresolved question.[26] The DOJ Office of Legal Counsel released a legal opinion, asserting that the appointment was legal and consistent with past precedent.[27]
11. ^ Served as acting attorney general in his capacity as Assistant Attorney General for the DOJ National Security Division for a few hours following the resignation of Jeffrey Rosen at noon on January 20, 2021. President Joe Biden signed an executive order naming Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Human Resources and Administration Monty Wilkinson as acting attorney general later that day.[28]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "3 U.S. Code § 19 – Vacancy in offices of both President and Vice President; officers eligible to act". Archived from the original on December 26, 2018. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
2. ^ a b 5 U.S.C. § 5312.
3. ^ a b c Herz, Michael (2002). "Washington, Patton, Schwarzkopf and ... Ashcroft?". Constitutional Commentary. Archived from the original on May 31, 2019. Retrieved May 31, 2019.
4. ^ a b Garner, Bryan A. (May 2013). "LawProse Lesson #116: What's the plural form of attorney general? And what is the plural possessive?". Above the Law. Retrieved May 31, 2019.
5. ^ Judiciary Act of 1789, section 35.
6. ^ Cabinets and Counselors: The President and the Executive Branch (1997). Congressional Quarterly. p. 87.
7. ^ "Salary Table No. 2021-EX Rates of Basic Pay for the Executive Schedule (EX)" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on January 23, 2021.
8. ^ "Department of Justice | Office of the Attorney General | United States Department of Justice". www.justice.gov. December 6, 2022. Retrieved February 7, 2025.
9. ^ "28 U.S. Code § 518 - Conduct and argument of cases". LII / Legal Information Institute. Retrieved February 7, 2025.
10. ^ "28 U.S. Code § 519 - Supervision of litigation". LII / Legal Information Institute. Retrieved February 7, 2025.
11. ^ "USA PATRIOT Act | Facts, History, Acronym, & Controversy | Britannica". www.britannica.com. January 6, 2025. Retrieved February 7, 2025.
12. ^ Gerstein, Josh (January 17, 2017). "Trump will allow U.S. attorneys to stay past Friday". POLITICO. Archived from the original on July 25, 2019. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
13. ^ Horwitz, Sari (January 30, 2017). "Who is Sally Yates? Meet the acting attorney general Trump fired for 'betraying' the Justice Department". Washington Post. Archived from the original on November 29, 2020. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
14. ^ a b Stern, Laurence; Johnson, Haynes (May 1, 1973). "3 Top Nixon Aides, Kleindienst Out; President Accepts Full Responsibility; Richardson Will Conduct New Probe". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on March 1, 2019. Retrieved February 28, 2019.
15. ^ Staff reporter (February 21, 1993). "Stuart Gerson's Parting Shot". The New York Times. Retrieved December 12, 2008. "As supporters of the Brady gun-control bill prepare to introduce it in Congress yet again this week, they find a welcome, if unlikely, ally in Stuart Gerson, the Acting Attorney General. Because President Clinton has had so many problems finding a new Attorney General, Mr. Gerson remains in office ..."
16. ^ Labaton, Stephen (January 25, 1993). "Notes on Justice; Who's in Charge? Bush Holdover Says He Is, but Two Clinton Men Differ". The New York Times. Retrieved December 12, 2008.
17. ^ a b Ifill, Gwen (March 12, 1993). "Reno Confirmed in Top Justice Job". The New York Times. Retrieved December 12, 2008. "She will replace Acting Attorney General Stuart M. Gerson, a holdover appointee from the Bush Administration. Ms. Reno said he resigned today."
18. ^ Meyers, Steven Lee (August 27, 2007). "Embattled Attorney General Resigns". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 10, 2013. Retrieved August 27, 2007.
19. ^ "President Bush Announces Judge Michael Mukasey as Nominee for Attorney General" Archived November 11, 2017, at the Wayback Machine, White House press release, September 17, 2007
20. ^ "Bush Text on Attorney General Nomination". NewsOK.com. The Oklahoman. The Associated Press. September 17, 2007. Archived from the original on February 3, 2014. Retrieved September 18, 2007.
21. ^ Eggen, Dan; Elizabeth Williamson (September 19, 2007). "Democrats May Tie Confirmation to Gonzales Papers". The Washington Post. pp. A10. Archived from the original on April 4, 2012. Retrieved September 19, 2007.
22. ^ Perez, Evan; Diamond, Jeremy (January 30, 2017). "Trump fires acting AG after she declines to defend travel ban". CNN. Archived from the original on May 2, 2019. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
23. ^ Blitzer, Ronn (November 7, 2018). "Attorney General Jeff Sessions is Out. Here's What Could Happen Next". Law & Crime. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
24. ^ Katyal, Neal K. (November 8, 2018). "Opinion | Trump's Appointment of the Acting Attorney General Is Unconstitutional". The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 4, 2023. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
25. ^ "Maryland Says Matthew Whitaker Appointment As Acting Attorney General Is Unlawful". NPR.org. Archived from the original on November 16, 2018. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
26. ^ "Matthew Whitaker's Appointment as Acting Attorney General: Three Lingering Questions". Lawfare. November 8, 2018. Archived from the original on November 16, 2018. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
27. ^ Jarrett, Laura. "DOJ says Whitaker's appointment as acting attorney general is constitutional". CNN. Archived from the original on November 14, 2018. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
28. ^ "Trump's acting attorney general leaves without creating controversial special counsels". CNN.
29. ^ Gerstein, Josh (January 20, 2025). "Trump taps longtime immigration official as acting attorney general". Politico. Retrieved January 22, 2025.
30. ^ "U.S.C. Title 28 – JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE". www.gpo.gov. Archived from the original on June 15, 2018. Retrieved June 14, 2018.
31. ^ "Providing an Order of Succession Within the Department of Justice". Federal Register. April 5, 2017. Archived from the original on April 5, 2017. Retrieved June 14, 2018.
32. ^ LaGumina, Salvatore J.; Cavaioli, Frank J.; Primeggia, Salvatore; Varacalli, Joseph A. (September 2, 2003). The Italian American Experience: An Encyclopedia. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-135-58333-0.
33. ^ "#05-591: 11-03-05 NEW AWARD CREATED TO HONOR FORMER ATTORNEY GENERAL EDWARD H. LEVI". www.justice.gov. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
34. ^ Magill, Frank N. (May 13, 2013). The 20th Century O-Z: Dictionary of World Biography. Routledge. ISBN 9781136593697.
35. ^ "Alberto Gonzales becomes first Hispanic U.S. attorney general | February 3, 2005". HISTORY. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
36. ^ Rennison, Callie Marie; Dodge, Mary (December 1, 2016). Introduction to Criminal Justice: Systems, Diversity, and Change. SAGE Publications. ISBN 9781506347745.
37. ^ Prater, Nia (January 12, 2017). "Loretta Lynch Bids Farewell to Justice Department". U.S. News.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website

U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)

Preceded by

Pete Hegseth

as Secretary of Defense |  Order of precedence of the United States
as Attorney General | Succeeded by

Doug Burgum

as Secretary of the Interior
U.S. presidential line of succession
Preceded by

Secretary of Defense
Pete Hegseth

|  7th in line  | Succeeded by

Secretary of the Interior
Doug Burgum

Links to related articles

* v
* t
* e

United States attorneys general

* Randolph
* Bradford
* Lee
* Lincoln
* Breckinridge
* Rodney
* Pinkney
* Rush
* Wirt
* Berrien
* Taney
* Butler
* Grundy
* Gilpin
* Crittenden
* Legaré
* Nelson
* Mason
* Clifford
* Toucey
* Johnson
* Crittenden
* Cushing
* Black
* Stanton
* Bates
* Speed
* Stanbery
* Evarts
* Hoar
* Akerman
* Williams
* Pierrepont
* Taft
* Devens
* MacVeagh
* Brewster
* A. Garland
* Miller
* Olney
* Harmon
* McKenna
* Griggs
* Knox
* Moody
* Bonaparte
* Wickersham
* McReynolds
* Gregory
* Palmer
* Daugherty
* Stone
* Sargent
* W. D. Mitchell
* Cummings
* Murphy
* Jackson
* Biddle
* T. C. Clark
* McGrath
* McGranery
* Brownell
* Rogers
* Kennedy
* Katzenbach
* R. Clark
* J. N. Mitchell
* Kleindienst
* Richardson
* Saxbe
* Levi
* Bell
* Civiletti
* Smith
* Meese
* Thornburgh
* Barr
* Reno
* Ashcroft
* Gonzales
* Mukasey
* Holder
* Lynch
* Sessions
* Barr
* M. Garland
* Bondi

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United States Department of Justice

* Headquarters: Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building

* Pam Bondi, Attorney General
* Emil Bove, Acting Deputy Attorney General

Deputy
Attorney
General|

* Justice Management Division
* Criminal Division
* National Security Division
* Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
* Drug Enforcement Administration
* Federal Bureau of Investigation
* Bureau of Prisons (National Institute of Corrections * Federal Prison Industries)
* United States Marshals Service
* Executive Office for Immigration Review (Board of Immigration Appeals)
* Office of the Pardon Attorney
* Office of Professional Responsibility
* Office of Tribal Justice
* Professional Responsibility Advisory Office
* Executive Office for Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces
* Executive Office for United States Attorneys
* United States Attorneys' Offices
* INTERPOL Washington--United States National Central Bureau
* United States Parole Commission
* Office of Legal Counsel
* Office of Legal Policy
* Office of Legislative Affairs
* Office of Public Affairs
* Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General
* Special Counsel's Office

Associate
Attorney
General|

* Office of Justice Programs
* Office on Violence Against Women
* Office of Community Oriented Policing Services
* Office of Information Policy
* Foreign Claims Settlement Commission of the United States
* Antitrust Division
* Civil Division
* Civil Rights Division
* Environment and Natural Resources Division
* Tax Division
* Executive Office for United States Trustees
* Community Relations Service
* Office for Access to Justice

Assistant
Attorneys
General|

* Antitrust Division
* Civil Division
* Civil Rights Division
* Criminal Division
* National Security Division
* Environment and Natural Resources Division
* Justice Management Division
* Tax Division
* Office of Legal Counsel
* Office of Legal Policy
* Office of Legislative Affairs
* Office of Justice Programs

Solicitor General

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Leaders of the United States federal executive departments

Current|

* Agriculture
* Commerce
* Defense
* Education
* Energy
* Health and Human Services
* Homeland Security
* Housing and Urban Development
* Interior
* Justice
* Labor
* State
* Transportation
* Treasury
* Veterans Affairs

Past|

* Commerce and Labor
* Health, Education, and Welfare
* Navy
* Post Office
* War

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United States presidential line of succession

* Succession Clause of Article II, Section I (1788)
* 12th Amendment (1804)
* 20th Amendment (1933)
* 25th Amendment (1967)
* Presidential Succession Act

Current line|

1. Vice President (JD Vance)
2. Speaker of the House of Representatives (Mike Johnson)
3. President pro tempore of the Senate (Chuck Grassley)
4. Secretary of State (Marco Rubio)
5. Secretary of the Treasury (Scott Bessent)
6. Secretary of Defense (Pete Hegseth)
7. Attorney General (Pam Bondi)
8. Secretary of the Interior (Doug Burgum)
9. Secretary of Agriculture (Brooke Rollins)
10. Secretary of Commerce (Howard Lutnick)
11. Secretary of Labor (Vince Micone**)
12. Secretary of Health and Human Services (Robert F. Kennedy Jr.)
13. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (Scott Turner)
14. Secretary of Transportation (Sean Duffy)
15. Secretary of Energy (Chris Wright)
16. Secretary of Education (Denise L. Carter**)
17. Secretary of Veterans Affairs (Doug Collins)
18. Secretary of Homeland Security (Kristi Noem)

** Ambiguity exists concerning eligibility to act as president

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Attorneys General of the Americas

Sovereign
states|

* Antigua and Barbuda
* Argentina
* Bahamas
* Barbados
* Belize
* Bolivia
* Brazil
* Canada
* Chile
* Colombia
* Costa Rica
* Cuba
* Dominica
* Dominican Republic
* Ecuador
* El Salvador
* Grenada
* Guatemala
* Guyana
* Haiti
* Honduras
* Jamaica
* Mexico
* Nicaragua
* Panama
* Paraguay
* Peru
* Saint Kitts and Nevis
* Saint Lucia
* Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
* Suriname
* Trinidad and Tobago
* United States
* Uruguay
* Venezuela

Dependencies
and territories|

* Anguilla
* Aruba
* Bermuda
* Bonaire
* British Virgin Islands
* Cayman Islands
* Curaçao
* Falkland Islands
* French Guiana
* Greenland
* Guadeloupe
* Martinique
* Montserrat
* Puerto Rico
* Saba
* Saint Barthélemy
* Saint Martin
* Saint Pierre and Miquelon
* Sint Eustatius
* Sint Maarten
* South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
* Turks and Caicos Islands
* U.S. Virgin Islands

* North America
* Central America
* Caribbean
*   *   *   * South America

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