The newly appointed U.S. attorney for Virginia is set to consider charges against former FBI director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James.
Lindsay Harrigan, who is 36, takes over from Eric Sheebert, who was removed for not pursuing charges against James. She was sworn in as the interim U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia on Monday.
Harrigan, formerly a lawyer in Florida specializing in insurance, has represented Trump in a civil case connected to a raid on the Mar-a-Lago resort in August 2022 concerning classified documents.
Now, her role involves presenting evidence to a grand jury regarding allegations that Comey lied to Congress. Additionally, she’s expected to spearhead an investigation related to mortgage fraud concerning a property James purchased in Norfolk in 2023.
Background and Education
Harrigan grew up in Colorado, where her parents worked in healthcare, and she played basketball and softball at a private Catholic school in Bloomfield.
She attended Regis University in Denver to study broadcast journalism and graduated from the University of Miami Law School in 2013.
During her studies, she focused on exonerating wrongly convicted inmates while interning at the Miami-Dade County Public Defender’s office. A former professor noted that people sometimes underestimated her due to her appearance, highlighting her intelligence and strong work ethic.
Pageant Experience
In her twenties, Harrigan participated twice in the Miss Colorado USA pageant, placing fourth in 2010 and reaching the semi-finals in 2009.
She remarked that her experience in sports and pageantry helped her develop confidence, discipline, and the ability to handle pressure in various arenas, including the courtroom and, more recently, the White House.
Legal Career
After earning her law degree, Harrigan worked with a firm based in Fort Lauderdale, Cole, Scott & Kissan, focusing on insurance defense litigation.
She primarily handled cases involving disputes between insurance companies and property owners, eventually becoming a partner in 2018. Nevertheless, she has only worked on three federal cases throughout her career.
Connection to Trump
Harrigan met Trump while at a golf course in West Palm Beach in 2021, shortly after emerging from court in her signature tailored suit. He inquired about her profession, which led to her joining his legal team the following year.
She was present during the FBI’s search of Mar-a-Lago in August 2022 and has since represented Trump in various legal matters, including a lawsuit against CNN. Harrigan has also participated in events such as the U.S. Open alongside him.
She frequently defended Trump on conservative media platforms like Fox News and Newsmax, becoming a prominent figure in those circles.
White House Role and Current Position
In March 2025, Harrigan took on the role of Senior Deputy Staff Secretary at the White House, where she led an initiative aimed at removing what she deemed “inappropriate ideology” from the Smithsonian Institution and other facilities.
Harrigan expressed her thoughts on this topic, noting, “I think inappropriate ideology is a history of weapons. We don’t need to overemphasize denials to teach people that certain aspects of our country’s history may be bad.”
As of now, Harrigan has served as a U.S. attorney for just 120 days, unless her role is extended by a federal judge or confirmed by the Senate.
