Judges Approve Trump’s Interim US Attorney in Manhattan

President Donald Trump's administration has been bypassing the Senate confirmation process to install loyalists as U.S. attorneys by using temporary appointments and legal loopholes, a strategy that has sparked controversy and legal challenges. In several districts, including Los Angeles, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, and upstate New York, Trump has appointed interim U.S. attorneys who serve 120-day terms, then reappointed them as acting U.S. attorneys for an additional 210 days, sometimes overriding district judges' appointments. However, in a notable exception, Jay Clayton, Trump's pick for U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, was appointed by federal judges to serve after his interim term expired, marking the first significant appointment of Trump's second term to go unchallenged. Clayton, a former SEC chairman and corporate lawyer without prosecutorial experience, has avoided controversy and is likely to serve for the duration of Trump's administration due to opposition from Senate Democrats to his confirmation. This judicial appointment has been seen as a rare concession amid otherwise contentious battles over U.S. attorney appointments under Trump’s second term. The administration’s approach has been described by legal experts as strategic but contrary to the original intent of requiring Senate confirmation for these positions.