Joe diGenova has resigned from his post leading a Department of Justice investigation into whether former law enforcement and intelligence officials conspired against President Donald Trump, he confirmed on Thursday.
“I did in fact resign,” diGenova told the Associated Press, describing his time in the role as an “honor and a privilege” to serve Trump and the justice department. He did not give a detailed reason for his departure.
diGenova, a longtime ally of the president, had overseen an inquiry centered on the intelligence community’s assessment that Russia interfered in the 2016 election. The probe examined whether officials involved in that assessment acted improperly in their handling of the matter.
The investigation had targeted figures the president has publicly criticized, part of a broader effort by the administration to scrutinize officials involved in earlier Russia-related inquiries. diGenova, a former U.S. attorney, was among Trump’s most vocal defenders during those earlier disputes.
The departure adds to a series of shifts within the Justice Department’s handling of politically sensitive cases. The administration has faced questions over its decisions to pursue or drop cases tied to the president’s critics.
The Justice Department has not named a successor to lead the inquiry, and it was not immediately clear whether the investigation would continue under new supervision. The department did not comment on the resignation.