Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein will resign in the coming weeks, sources familiar with his plans have told The Associate Press.
Rosenstein, who has overseen special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into whether Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election, has notified President Donald Trump and White House officials of his plan to resign, according to a report first published by ABC early Wednesday.
>> Who is Rod Rosenstein? Things to know about the deputy U.S. attorney general
The story said Rosenstein is expected to leave his position around the time Trump’s nominee for attorney general, William Barr, is confirmed and takes office. Barr’s confirmation hearing begins next week.
According to ABC, Rosenstein isn’t being forced out of his job by Trump.
Rosenstein’s tenure as deputy attorney general has been a turbulent one. In May 2017, days after then-FBI Director James Comey was fired, Rosenstein appointed Mueller to take over the FBI investigation into Russia's meddling in the election and any possible collaboration between Trump’s campaign and Russian officials.
Trump has made it known – often through Twitter – that he disagreed with Rosenstein’s decision.
It was a letter Rosenstein submitted to Trump laying out why he thought Comey should be fired that Trump referenced to defend his decision to let Comey go.
Rosenstein’s letter criticized Comey’s handling of Hillary Clinton’s use of a personal email server.
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