Manhattan's Top Federal Prosecutor To Resign Before Trump Presidency

US Attorney Damian Williams, who has overseen high-profile cases in the Southern District of New York, has announced his resignation, a move that comes ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s second term and the expected nomination of his successor.

US Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams (left) has announced his upcoming resignation following President-elect Trump's nomination of former SEC Chairman Jay Clayton (right) as his successor.
Photo Credit: *Wikimedia Commons via United States Department of Justice, Securities and Exchange Commission*

Ben Crnic

11/25/2024 2:30 p.m.

Williams’ resignation will take effect at 11:59 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, according to a statement from his office on Monday, Nov. 25.

The resignation comes as President-elect Trump has announced plans to nominate Jay Clayton, a former Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman under Trump’s first administration, to lead the office.

Upon Williams' departure, Deputy US Attorney Edward Y. Kim will serve as Acting US Attorney until the position is filled.

"Today is a bittersweet day for me, as I announce my resignation as United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York,” Williams wrote in his announcement, adding, “It is bitter in the sense that I am leaving my dream job, leading an institution I love that is filled with the finest public servants in the world. It is sweet in that I am confident I am leaving at a time when the office is functioning at an incredibly high level.”

Clayton, age 58, who has no experience as a criminal prosecutor, served as SEC Chairman from May 2017 to December 2020, where he focused on deregulation and also targeted current Trump ally Elon Musk for fraud over social media posts regarding funding to take the company private, according to a report by Politico.

Trump praised Clayton as someone who "did an incredible job" during his previous role and said he would be a “strong Fighter for the Truth” in a Truth Social post.

If approved for the role, Clayton will take on several prominent cases, including the prosecution of hip-hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs for alleged sex trafficking and New York City Mayor Eric Adams for corruption charges, both of which began under Williams' tenure.

Williams, the first African American US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, was nominated by President Joe Biden and confirmed in October 2021.

"I thank President Biden for nominating me as United States Attorney, and Attorney General Garland for leading the Department and supporting the Southern District of New York during my tenure. It has been an honor to serve the American people," Williams said in his resignation announcement.

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