Lindsey Halligan, the new Virginia federal prosecutor appointed by the White House who continues to land criminal indictments against President Donald Trump’s personal enemies, has a large security detail of U.S. Marshals Service agents following her everywhere, even as she walks by employees inside the district offices.
The highly unusual arrangement has made some of her own staffers uncomfortable, according to sources who spoke to NOTUS on condition of anonymity. Sources described the detail as being between three and six federal agents at all times.
“They follow her around the building, even in our office on the various floors. Insane waste of money,” said one source. “Worried about the deep state I guess!”
Top prosecutors are normally flanked by agents when delivering press conferences or making certain public appearances. But it is unheard of for a regional district’s highest-ranking prosecutor to be followed by personal guards when walking inside their own offices and meeting with assistant U.S. attorneys who report to them — many of whom already have national security clearances and all of whom are entrusted to represent the government in court.
Halligan, once Trump’s personal defense lawyer and later a White House legal aide, was appointed to lead the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Eastern District of Virginia last month and promptly convened grand juries to indict former FBI Director James Comey and current New York Attorney General Letitia James. She did so shortly after Trump posted an explicit call for the Department of Justice to file criminal charges against them and others.
But her new public prominence has also led to death threats, according to a person familiar with the security detail appointment. This person said the detail is “temporary” and “for safety for threats outside of this office,” noting that Halligan has told employees her “door is always open and they’re welcome to come in anytime.”
The U.S. Marshals on Thursday confirmed that its agents are now guarding Halligan. The agency’s deputy chief of public affairs, Brady McCarron, noted that the U.S. Marshals would only provide such a security detail if it were deemed justified — something that it is now providing for some other, unnamed U.S. attorneys.
“Whomever made the request would have to show (a) valid threat,” he said.
Lawmakers and government officials have been forced to reckon with escalating threats of political violence. The assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in September, in particular, brought the issue to the forefront. Members of Congress are now spending millions of dollars on personal security.
One current government official familiar with these types of details called the arrangement “pretty odd.” Another former DOJ official called it “unusual” for a U.S. attorney “to even have a security detail for outside the office, absent specific threats to safety.” Many top prosecutors tap the expertise of a retired law enforcement officer to be their “coordinator” — a liaison with law enforcement partners who would strategize safety at public events.
Liam O’Grady, a former federal judge in the Eastern District of Virginia, was surprised to hear that several U.S. Marshals agents are now guarding Halligan even as she makes her way through her already-guarded government offices.
“U.S. attorneys don’t have security details. They come in and out of work like you and I come in and out of work. That’s unusual,” he said.