Trump Says He Will Appoint Personal Lawyer James McDonald As U.S. Attorney For SDNY
President Trump told reporters Saturday, June 13, 2026, that he will appoint his personal lawyer James M. McDonald as U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York.[1]
McDonald is a partner at Sullivan & Cromwell and is part of Trump's legal team handling his appeal of the New York felony hush-money convictions.[1] He was on the legal team that in May 2026 secured a favorable outcome for billionaire Gautam Adani when the Trump Justice Department dropped a Biden-era fraud and conspiracy case.[1] SDNY spokesperson Nicholas Biase said the office "welcomes the President's choice" and called McDonald "widely respected." PBS
Trump nominated current SDNY U.S. attorney Jay Clayton to be director of national intelligence on June 11, 2026, creating the vacancy McDonald would fill.[2] Tulsi Gabbard resigned as director of national intelligence effective June 30, 2026. Trump had earlier appointed Bill Pulte as acting DNI, a move that drew bipartisan backlash.
The New York Times framed McDonald's selection as part of a pattern of elevating personal lawyers and close allies to senior Justice Department and prosecutorial roles.[2] That coverage highlighted criticism from former SDNY prosecutors and ethics experts who warned the pick could create conflicts of interest and undermine prosecutorial independence.[2]
The mainstream summary does not mention that James McDonald is not only a partner at Sullivan & Cromwell but also a well-regarded former SDNY prosecutor, which positions him as a familiar figure within the office he is set to lead. This background may lend him credibility among staff and stakeholders, contrasting with the summary's more critical framing of his appointment as merely a continuation of Trump's pattern of elevating personal lawyers. Additionally, while the summary acknowledges criticism regarding conflicts of interest, it overlooks the broader implications of McDonald's appointment as part of a trend toward consolidating loyalists within the justice system, which some observers argue undermines institutional independence. This perspective is echoed by social media commentators who highlight McDonald's previous roles and suggest that his leadership may reflect a strategic move to prioritize political alignment over traditional prosecutorial independence, as noted in analyses of recent U.S. Attorney appointments.
Furthermore, the summary does not address the significant staffing context of the SDNY, which employs around 220 assistant U.S. attorneys. This detail underscores the scale of the office and the potential impact of McDonald's leadership on its operations and priorities. The erosion of institutional independence in U.S. Attorney appointments has been a growing concern, with analyses suggesting that such appointments are increasingly driven by political loyalty rather than merit, a nuance that the mainstream coverage does not fully capture.[3]
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📊 Relevant Data
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York employs approximately 220 assistant U.S. attorneys.
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York — Wikipedia
📌 Key Facts
- On Saturday, June 13, 2026, Trump told reporters he will appoint James M. McDonald as U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York (James M. McDonald).
- McDonald is a partner at Sullivan & Cromwell and is part of Trump's legal team handling his pending appeal of his New York felony hush-money convictions related to payments to Stormy Daniels (Sullivan & Cromwell).
- PBS/AP reports that McDonald was on the legal team that in May 2026 secured a favorable outcome for billionaire Gautam Adani when the Trump Justice Department dropped a Biden-era fraud and conspiracy case (Gautam Adani).
- McDonald previously served as director of enforcement at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission during Trump's first term and was a deputy associate counsel in George W. Bush's White House (Commodity Futures Trading Commission).
- SDNY spokesperson Nicholas Biase provided an on-the-record statement saying the office "welcomes the President's choice" and called McDonald "widely respected" (Nicholas Biase).
- The appointment would replace Jay Clayton, whom Trump has nominated to be director of national intelligence, and was reported amid broader pressure to find a permanent successor to outgoing DNI Tulsi Gabbard (Jay Clayton).
- The New York Times frames McDonald's selection as part of a broader pattern of Trump elevating personal lawyers and close legal allies to senior Justice Department and prosecutorial roles and highlights criticism from former SDNY prosecutors and ethics experts about conflicts of interest and prosecutorial independence (New York Times).
📰 Source Timeline (3)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Article provides additional New York–focused background on the Southern District of New York’s history as an office that has investigated Trump and his allies in past cases.
- It situates James McDonald’s appointment in a broader pattern of Trump elevating personal lawyers and close legal allies to senior Justice Department and prosecutorial roles.
- It adds more detail on internal and external criticism of the choice, highlighting concerns from former SDNY prosecutors and ethics experts about conflicts of interest and prosecutorial independence.
- On Saturday, June 13, 2026, Trump told reporters he will appoint James M. McDonald, one of his personal lawyers, as U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York.
- PBS/AP specify that McDonald is a partner at Sullivan & Cromwell and part of the legal team handling Trump's pending appeal of his New York felony hush-money convictions related to payments to Stormy Daniels.
- The article notes McDonald was on the legal team that in May 2026 secured a favorable outcome for Indian billionaire Gautam Adani when the Trump Justice Department dropped a Biden-era fraud and conspiracy case.
- PBS/AP add that McDonald previously served as director of enforcement at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission during Trump's first term and was a deputy associate counsel in George W. Bush's White House.
- The story includes an on-the-record statement from SDNY spokesperson Nicholas Biase saying the office "welcomes the President's choice" and calling McDonald "widely respected."
- The article reiterates that McDonald would replace Jay Clayton, whom Trump has nominated to be director of national intelligence, and situates the move amid broader pressure to find a permanent successor to outgoing DNI Tulsi Gabbard.