Judge orders DOJ to explain why Lindsey Halligan is still using the title of US attorney
Lindsey Halligan, holds ceremonial proclamations to be signed by US President Donald Trump, not pictured, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Thursday, March 6, 2025. Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images
(WASHINGTON) — A federal judge wants to know why Lindsey Halligan is still using the title of U.S. attorney despite a judge ruling in November that she is legally not in the position.
Halligan, who was appointed by President Donald Trump to be the acting U.S. attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia, was found by a judge to not be legally allowed to serve in the role because the law doesn’t allow the position to be filled by two interim nominees in a row.
The ruling came two months after Halligan secured indictments against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, only to have them thrown out due to her unlawful appointment.
The issue stems from a recent case in which Halligan, on the indictment, represents that she is the U.S. attorney and “did so despite a binding Court Order entered by Senior United States District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie on November 24, 2025, in which Judge Currie found that the ‘appointment Ms. Halligan as Interim U.S. Attorney violated 28 U.S.C. § 546 and the Appointments Clause of the U.S. Constitution,'” U.S. District Judge David Novak wrote in a filing Tuesday.
Judge Novak said that while the government is appealing the ruling, it is not subject to being ignored. He ordered the government to explain why Halligan has identified herself as the U.S. attorney within seven days.
“Ms. Halligan shall further explain why her identification does not constitute a false or misleading statement,” the judge wrote.
A Justice Department spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment from ABC News.
Halligan, one of Trump’s former personal attorneys, was named U.S. attorney by Trump in September after Trump ousted her predecessor, Erik Siebert, who sources say had expressed doubts internally about bringing cases against James and Comey.
Because Siebert himself had been named interim U.S. attorney by Trump last January, Judge Currie ruled that Halligan’s appointment as interim U.S. attorney violated the Constitution’s Appointments Clause that limits how long prosecutors can serve without Senate confirmation.
People hold Greenlandic flags and placards as they gather by the United States Consulate to march in protest against U.S. President Donald Trump and his announced intent to acquire Greenland on January 17, 2026 in Nuuk, Greenland.(Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) — President Donald Trump said on Saturday that the NATO countries who have sent small contingents of troops to Greenland amid the White House’s push to acquire the island will be charged a 10% tariff on all goods sent to the United States starting on Feb. 1.
The tariffs on Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland will then increase to 25% on June 1, until the U.S. is able to purchase Greenland, according to the president.
Greenland is a self-governing territory of the Kingdom of Denmark.
“This is a very dangerous situation for the Safety, Security, and Survival of our Planet. These Countries, who are playing this very dangerous game, have put a level of risk in play that is not tenable or sustainable,” Trump posted on social media.
Trump, in his post, repeated his claim that China and Russia would threaten to take Greenland if the U.S. does not. He claimed Denmark cannot protect Greenland.
“Only the United States of America, under PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP, can play in this game, and very successfully, at that!” he said in the post.
Some leaders from the targeted countries slammed Trump over his tariff threats.
“France is committed to the sovereignty and independence of Nations,” French President Emmanuel Macron said in a statement Saturday, adding that “no intimidation nor threat will influence us, neither in Ukraine, nor in Greenland, nor anywhere else in the world when we are confronted with such situations.”
“Tariff threats are unacceptable and have no place in this context. Europeans will respond to them in a united and coordinated manner if they were to be confirmed. We will know how to uphold European sovereignty,” Macron said.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a statement that “Applying tariffs on allies for pursuing the collective security of NATO allies is completely wrong.”
“Our position on Greenland is very clear – it is part of the Kingdom of Denmark and its future is a matter for the Greenlanders and the Danes,” he said.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said in a statement Saturday that discussions are being had between the countries for a coordinated response.
“We will not let ourselves be blackmailed. Only Denmark and Greenland decide on issues concerning Denmark and Greenland,” he said. “I will always stand up for my country, and for our allied neighbors.”
Trump has said he would consider taking Greenland by force as an option to acquire the land.
Leaders from Greenland and Denmark, which governs international matters for the country, have repeatedly said Greenland is not for sale.
“It’s clear that the president has this wish of conquering over Greenland,” Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen told reporters after meeting with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio Wednesday.
Rasmussen called that outcome “totally unacceptable.”
Several leaders from European nations, including France and Germany, have slammed Trump’s rhetoric and sent military forces to Greenland this week as part of training exercises launched by the Danish military.
Trump’s controversial plan to acquire Greenland has been met with disapproval on the island, where protests against the U.S. have taken place.
On Saturday, huge crowds hit the streets in Greenland lashing out at Trump over his proposal. A large crowd of protesters conducted a “Stop Trump” march through the streets of Nuuk.
Trump’s proposal has also not sat well among many Americans where people and leaders across the aisle have spoken out against the idea of acquiring Greenland.
A Quinnipiac University poll found 55% of voters are opposed to the United States trying to buy Greenland, with majorities of Democratic voters (85%) and Independent voters (58%) opposed and a majority of Republican voters in support (67%).
On Friday, a bipartisan group of House members and senators traveled to Greenland and said they had “constructive” conversations with members of Denmark’s parliament.
The delegation said the visit was to nurture the relationship between Denmark, Greenland and the United States and to reassure NATO partners that many members of Congress do not support any effort by the United States to acquire Greenland.
“I think it’s important that it be recognized that when it comes to matters of relationships with our friends, with our allies, as we have here in Denmark, as we have in Greenland, that it is — it is not a subject of Republicans versus Democrats. It is a recognition, again, of a strong and continuing relationship over decades,” Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said.
Trump’s tariffs have been hit with lawsuits which have been appealed all the way the Supreme Court. It is not known when the high court will rule on the case.
In this booking photo released by the Danbury Police Department, David Grullon, Jr., is shown. (Danbury Police Department)
(DANBURY, Conn.) — A man wanted for the fatal shooting of his neighbor, who was shot through a wall in a Connecticut townhouse last week, has been charged with manslaughter following his surrender, police said Friday.
Victor Quispe, 37, was shot inside his home in Danbury the night of Jan. 7, according to police. He was struck by a single round that traveled through a wall in the townhouse, police said. He was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The suspected gunman was not at the scene when police arrived, police said. Two days after the shooting, the City of Danbury Police Department said they had issued an arrest warrant for Quispe’s neighbor, 42-year-old David Grullon Jr., in connection with the homicide.
Grullon surrendered to police Thursday evening and has been charged with multiple offenses, including second-degree manslaughter, police said. Additional charges include reckless endangerment, risk of injury to a minor and firearm offenses, police said.
His bond was set at $1 million during his arraignment on Friday. He has not posted bond and is next scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 2 for a plea hearing, according to a court official.
Police have not released any additional details on the shooting, including why Grullon allegedly discharged the firearm.
“This matter remains under investigation,” the City of Danbury Police Department said in a statement on Friday announcing the arrest and charges in the deadly shooting. “No additional information will be released at this time to protect the integrity of the case.”
Grullon’s attorney, Gene Zingaro, told ABC News he has no comment on the charges at this time. Zingaro said he had picked Grullon up out of state and brought him in for a “safe surrender.”
“This was his request,” Zingaro said.
The shooting victim, Quispe, was a local barber known as Legends Barber Co. His fiancée is pregnant with their first child, according to a GoFundMe for the family.
“His generosity was boundless — he always remembered family back home, often providing meals or support to those in need,” his obituary stated. “His giving spirit extended to all of us; he was known for offering gifts so extravagant that we would lovingly argue with him about it.”
Quispe had moved to the U.S. from his native Peru at the age of five, his family said. He was remembered for his “contagious” laugh, sense of style, love of Peruvian food, “endless affection” and strong work ethic to provide for his family and first child, according to his obituary.
Quispe worked at Legends Barber Co. in Danbury, where he “wasn’t just a barber, but a trusted friend to countless people,” Danbury Mayor Roberto Alves said in a statement on social media last week.
One of his customers, Randy Hamilton, told ABC New York station WABC that Quispe was an “excellent barber,” but also a “good friend, good person.”
“I can always get a haircut, that’s nothing, I can get that from anywhere but the person that he was is like, you don’t find too many people like that,” Hamilton told the station.
A memorial dedicated to the 19 children and two adults murdered on May 24,2022 during a mass shooting at Robb Elementary School is seen on January 05, 2026 in Uvalde, Texas. Brandon Bell/Getty Images
(CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas) — Former Uvalde, Texas, school police officer Adrian Gonzales could have suffered from “inattentive blindness” and “tunnel vision” when he responded to the Robb Elementary School shooting, a former officer testified for the defense on Tuesday.
Former San Antonio police officer Willie Cantu said the jurors are unlikely to “understand just how bad” the tunnel vision could be during an emergency response.
To describe “inattentive blindness,” Cantu compared the experience to struggling to find your car keys when you are running late for work.
“It’s like when you get stressed. I’m late for work and I need to find my keys to my car. I can’t find my keys, and you have them in your hand,” he said.
Cantu attempted to defend Gonzales’ actions on May 24, 2022 — citing the real-time challenges he faced as one of the first officers to respond — as defense lawyers pushed back on the prosecution’s allegation that Gonzales “intentionally, knowingly, recklessly and with criminal negligence” endangered students.
Cantu also tried to cast doubt on the reliability of teaching aide Melodye Flores, who testified for the prosecution that she tried to warn Gonzales about the location of the shooter.
“No disrespect to Flores at all, she was definitely there, experienced all the trauma that was going on, but people process that type of stuff differently,” Cantu said.
Cantu also attempted to highlight the inaction of other officers, including one who monitored the perimeter of the school when he arrived.
“It really surprised me that he was right there and just pretty much taken, I’d say a tertiary role,” he remarked.
The only other defense witness was Claudia Rodriguez, a secretary at the funeral home that neighbored Robb.
Rodriguez told jurors that she witnessed gunman Salvador Ramos exit his car with a rifle after crashing into a ditch, and she said Ramos ducked behind a nearby parked car when Gonzales drove by him. That move, defense lawyers allege, prevented Gonzales from being able to clearly spot the gunman when he first arrived at the school.
“And at the time you see the white car [driven by Gonzales], you see the figure, kind of ducking down between the cars. Is that how you remember seeing it?” defense attorney Jason Goss asked.
“Yes sir,” Rodriguez replied.
Rodriguez also testified that she tried to warn other arriving officers that the shooter entered the school, but they did not run in to stop him.
“Gilbert [Limones, another funeral home employee,] and I are yelling at them upon their arrival and after they exited their car that he’s already inside,” she said.
“Did those officers then go immediately to where you told them and run inside the building?” Goss asked.
“No. I believe, if I remember correctly, they got back into the car and went around the school towards the front of Robb,” she said.
Defense lawyers rested their case on Tuesday after testimony from Cantu and Rodriguez. Closing statements are set for Wednesday.
Prosecutors allege Gonzales, who is charged with 29 counts of child endangerment, did not follow his training and endangered the 19 students who died and an additional 10 surviving students.
Flores, the teaching aide, testified that she repeatedly urged Gonzales to intervene in the shooting, but said he did “nothing” in those crucial moments.
Gonzales has pleaded not guilty and his lawyers argue he is being unfairly blamed for a broader law enforcement failure that day. He could face the rest of his life in prison if convicted of all counts.
