Trump-Appointed US Attorney Lindsey Halligan Faces Scrutiny Over Texts With Reporter in Letitia James Indictment Case

Lindsey Halligan, the interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia appointed by President Trump, has come under scrutiny for directly texting Lawfare journalist Anna Bower regarding coverage of the ongoing prosecution of New York Attorney General Letitia James. Halligan challenged Bower's reporting as inaccurate and biased, initiating contact via the encrypted Signal app and demanding corrections on grand jury-related information, which Bower had not agreed to keep off the record. This unsolicited communication raised ethical concerns as it breaches Department of Justice protocols that limit media contact on active cases, particularly those involving grand jury material, and blurs the expected impartiality of federal prosecutors. Halligan's actions have sparked debate about politicization within the DOJ, as Letitia James, a prominent political adversary of Trump, faces indictment perceived by some as politically motivated. The exchange, conducted with disappearing messages on an encrypted platform, has drawn criticism for transparency and record-keeping issues, highlighting tensions between press freedom and prosecutorial conduct. Journalists and legal experts view the episode as an unusual and troubling instance of a sitting U.S. attorney engaging with the press in a manner that may compromise ethical standards and public trust.