Man Who Appointed Mueller to Lead Probe Will Leave DOJ

The man who appointed Robert Mueller to head the Russia investigation is expected to leave the Department of Justice in the coming weeks, sources tell nearly every major media outlet. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein has reportedly conveyed his plans to the White House, which ABC News reports is not pushing him out. The timeline is said to revolve around the confirmation of Trump's nominee for attorney general, William Barr. CNN reports Barr's Senate confirmation hearings start Tuesday; a confirmation vote would likely take place around mid-February. If the vote goes Barr's way, Rosenstein is then expected to leave, though the timing of naming of a new deputy attorney general could also impact things.

Barr would take over the responsibility of overseeing Mueller's probe. Per CNN, Rosenstein "has signaled to other officials that he would leave when he was satisfied that Mueller's investigation was either complete or close enough to completion that it was protected." Fox News reports he was nominated by President Trump in 2017, and had reportedly long intended to cap his time in the role at two years. The network notes that while Trump has had harsh words for Rosenstein—Trump retweeted an image of him and others behind bars in November—former Attorney General Jeff Sessions was on the receiving end of more of the president's ire. (More Rod Rosenstein stories.)