Providing an Order of Succession Within the Department of Justice
Headline: Sets Order of Succession for Department of Justice Leadership
What it does: The order directs that specified United States Attorneys act as Attorney General in a fixed order when the Attorney General and top deputies cannot serve.
- Clarifies who will lead the Justice Department if top officials are unavailable.
- Prevents acting officeholders from becoming acting Attorney General under this order.
- Revokes the prior succession order, changing the previously established line.
Summary
This order sets a clear line of succession for the Department of Justice when the Attorney General and top deputies cannot serve. It names three United States Attorneys — for the Eastern District of Virginia, the Northern District of Illinois, and the Western District of Missouri — to act as Attorney General in that order.
It bars individuals serving in acting roles from becoming acting Attorney General under this order, requires successors be eligible under the Federal Vacancies Reform Act, and preserves the President's discretion to depart from the list. The order revokes the prior succession order.
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