Report: Rosenstein to resign from Justice Department

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein will leave his position if William Barr is confirmed by the Senate and becomes the next attorney general, multiple news outlets reported Wednesday, citing anonymous sources. Barr’s confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled for next week, and he could be in the job by early February. Rosenstein reportedly plans to leave after that, though an end date has not been set.

“I don’t think there’s any willingness by the president or the White House to push him out,” White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told Fox News on Wednesday. “My guess is that he is making room for the new attorney general to build a team that he wants around him.” Barr has reportedly told people close to him that he would like to name his own No. 2 person.

Rosenstein appointed Robert Mueller as special counsel in May 2017 to look into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election after Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from the investigation. Rosenstein has maintained day-to-day oversight of the probe and has consistently defended Mueller’s work. If confirmed, Barr would take control of the investigation, likely during a critical time when the special counsel’s office is expected to report its findings to the Justice Department. Barr has made comments critical of the probe and is expected to face questioning from Senate Democrats about his views of it at his confirmation hearing.