Trump Nominates Pete Serrano as Washington Western District U.S. Attorney

President Donald Trump nominated Pete Serrano to serve a four-year term as the U.S. attorney for the Western District of Washington on September 14, 2026. Serrano, a Republican, former mayor of Pasco, and founder of the conservative Silent Majority Foundation, currently serves as the first assistant U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Washington and special attorney to Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.

The nomination follows a period of instability in the Western District. Trump fired Roger Rogoff, a former King County Superior Court judge, within an hour of Rogoff being appointed to the post by district judges. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche defended the removal, stating that district court judges bypassed the administration's consultation process. Rogoff subsequently sued the administration.

Senator Patty Murray vowed to block Serrano's nomination using every available tool, including the blue slip process. Murray characterized Serrano as a political loyalist with extreme right-wing views who is unqualified for the role. This marks a second attempt by Trump to install Serrano in Washington, following a failed August 2025 nomination for the Eastern District.

Trump has dismissed the blue slip tradition as old and outdated, arguing that the process infringes upon his constitutional right to appoint federal officials in states represented by Democratic senators.