Halligan’s rapid ascension from Florida insurance lawyer to federal prosecutor represents a stark departure from traditional Justice Department hiring practices. Court records show she has participated in only three federal cases throughout her career, all while serving as one of Trump’s personal attorneys. By contrast, Siebert, whom she replaced, was listed as an attorney on 675 federal cases during his extensive prosecutorial career.

From beauty pageants to insurance law

Before joining Trump’s legal orbit, Halligan followed a conventional legal career path. She went to Holy Family High School in Colorado before earning a degree in political science and broadcast journalism from Regis University in Denver—the same school Erika Kirk, Charlie Kirk’s wife, attended. During Halligan’s college years, she competed in the Miss Colorado USA pageant twice, reaching the semifinals in 2009 and placing third runner-up in 2010.

After graduating from the University of Miami School of Law in 2013, Halligan was admitted to the Florida Bar in 2014 and began working at Cole, Scott & Kissane, a Fort Lauderdale-based insurance law firm. The firm, which bills itself as Florida’s largest law firm by attorney headcount, specializes in insurance defense litigation. Halligan became a partner in 2018, primarily representing insurance companies in disputes with homeowners over residential and commercial property claims.

Joining Trump’s legal team

Halligan’s trajectory changed dramatically in November 2021 when she met Trump at his West Palm Beach golf course, according to her statement to The Washington Post. Trump added her to his legal team several months later amid the FBI’s investigation into his handling of classified documents. She was present during the FBI’s August 2022 search of Mar-a-Lago and became involved in Trump v. United States, a lawsuit requesting a special master to review seized materials.

Her federal court debut proved rocky. District Judge Aileen Cannon rejected two of Halligan’s filings for failing to comply with local procedures, directing her to the court’s website for instructions on proper document submission. A subsequent refiling was similarly rejected with the same guidance.

Despite these early setbacks, Halligan remained part of Trump’s legal team, representing him in various matters including a dismissed defamation lawsuit against CNN and efforts related to the classified documents case. She also became a frequent defender of Trump on conservative media outlets including Fox News and Newsmax.

Following Trump’s 2024 election victory, Halligan joined the White House as senior associate staff secretary. In March 2025, Trump assigned her to lead an initiative to remove “improper ideology” from Smithsonian Institution museums, the National Zoo, and other facilities. This role involved reviewing exhibits that she viewed as disparaging to the United States.

A critical office

The Eastern District of Virginia, known as the “rocket docket” for its rapid case processing, handles significant national security and terrorism cases due to its proximity to Washington, D.C.. The office serves more than six million people with a staff of 300 prosecutors, according to ABC News. Under federal law, Halligan can serve as interim U.S. attorney for only 120 days unless extended by federal judges or confirmed by the Senate.

Trump announced Halligan’s nomination in a social media post, describing her as someone who “represented me (and WON!) in the disgraceful Democrat Documents Hoax” and praising her as “extremely intelligent” and “fearless.” The appointment represents part of a broader pattern of Trump installing former personal attorneys in key Justice Department positions, including Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and interim New Jersey U.S. Attorney Alina Habba.

Prosecutorial pressure

Halligan now faces pressure to pursue cases that career prosecutors have deemed lacking in evidence. According to MSNBC, prosecutors recently presented her with a detailed memo recommending against charging Comey with perjury and obstruction, citing insufficient evidence to meet prosecution standards. Sources told the outlet prosecutors had failed to establish probable cause of a crime against the former FBI director.

The appointment has sparked criticism from former federal prosecutors who view it as evidence of Trump’s efforts to weaponize the Justice Department against political adversaries. Legal experts have expressed concern about placing someone with no prosecutorial experience in charge of politically sensitive investigations.

As Halligan settles into her new role, she faces the challenge of managing a major federal prosecutor’s office while navigating intense political pressure to pursue cases that career prosecutors have found legally insufficient. Her tenure will likely serve as a key test of the independence of federal law enforcement under the Trump administration.

For this story, Fortune used generative AI to help with an initial draft. An editor verified the accuracy of the information before publishing.