Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, prior to President Donald Trump announcing the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to be Associate Justice at the U.S. Supreme Court, replacing Justice Anthony Kennedy, in the East Room of the White House, on July 9, 2018. Photo: Diego Radzinschi/ALM
Rod Rosenstein is expected to step down as deputy attorney general if William Barr is confirmed to lead the Justice Department, a move that would cap a tumultuous two-year tenure dominated by his oversight of the special counsel investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
In his time as the Justice Department’s No. 2, Rosenstein was a lightning rod for criticism—particularly from President Donald Trump, who once ripped him for approving an application to extend surveillance of a former Trump campaign associate. With pressure coming from the White House, Rosenstein used speaking appearances to counter any notions that the Justice Department was losing its traditional independence.
