This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-48100665

The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 3 Version 4
US Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein quits Rod Rosenstein: US deputy attorney general quits
(about 1 hour later)
US Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein has handed in his resignation to President Donald Trump. Rod Rosenstein, the US deputy attorney general who oversaw the special counsel inquiry into President Donald Trump's campaign and Russia, has resigned.
The two men had a rocky relationship. In 2017, Mr Rosenstein appointed Special Counsel Robert Mueller to probe claims of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Mr Rosenstein, who had a fraught working relationship with Mr Trump, will step down on 11 May in a departure that had been expected for months.
In a resignation letter, he wrote: "We enforce the law without fear or favour because credible evidence is not partisan." In his letter, he paid tribute to Mr Trump, even praising the president's "courtesy and humour".
He will leave the post on 11 May. Mr Trump once tweeted an image showing Mr Rosenstein jailed for treason.
Correspondents say Mr Rosenstein had been expected to resign in March, following the appointment of William Barr as attorney general. Mr Rosenstein - who was originally appointed by Republican President George W Bush - had been expected to resign in March following the appointment of William Barr as attorney general.
However, he stayed in the job longer to help Mr Barr manage the public release of the special counsel's findings from the investigation, which has dominated much of Mr Trump's presidency so far. But the justice department second-in-command stayed in the job a while longer to help Mr Barr manage a redacted public release of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation.
Mr Trump has repeatedly called the investigation a "witch hunt", although Mr Barr and Mr Rosenstein eventually cleared him of the obstruction of justice charge. The report did not determine that the Trump campaign had conspired with Russia to sway the 2016 election, and did not find sufficient evidence for an obstruction-of-justice case against the president.
Why is their relationship so bad? What does Rosenstein's resignation letter say?
In 2017, Mr Rosenstein was left in charge of appointing someone to oversee the Russia investigation after Mr Trump fired then-FBI director James Comey.
Jeff Sessions, who was attorney general at the time, had already recused himself, meaning that his deputy had to take on the responsibility.
Mr Rosenstein then surprised the White House when he appointed Mr Mueller - an independent lawyer.
His relationship with the president became even more fractured last September, when the New York Times published a story claiming he had discussed ousting Mr Trump.
Citing anonymous sources, the paper said Mr Rosenstein had suggested secretly recording the president in order to prove he was dysfunctional, and had argued that it was permitted in line with the 25th amendment of the constitution.
That amendment allows for the removal of a president if he is deemed unfit for office.
Mr Rosenstein dismissed the claims as "inaccurate and factually incorrect", and a source told the BBC at the time that the comment had been sarcastic.
But earlier this year, a TV interview given by ex-acting FBI chief Andrew McCabe inflamed tensions further. Mr McCabe repeated the claim about the plot to oust him, which led Mr Trump to attack both him and Mr Rosenstein as "treasonous".
What does his resignation letter say?
In his letter, Mr Rosenstein praises some of what he calls the Department of Justice's achievements and its employees' "devotion to duty".In his letter, Mr Rosenstein praises some of what he calls the Department of Justice's achievements and its employees' "devotion to duty".
"I am grateful to you for the opportunity to serve; for the courtesy and humour you often display in our personal conversations; and for the goals you set in your inaugural address: patriotism, unity, safety, education, and prosperity," he adds, addressing the president directly. "I am grateful to you for the opportunity to serve; for the courtesy and humour you often display in our personal conversations; and for the goals you set in your inaugural address: patriotism, unity, safety, education, and prosperity," he wrote, addressing the president directly.
"The Department of Justice pursues those goals while operating in accordance with the rule of law. The rule of law is the foundation of America. It secures our freedom, allows our citizens to flourish, and enables our nation to serve as a model of liberty and justice for all.""The Department of Justice pursues those goals while operating in accordance with the rule of law. The rule of law is the foundation of America. It secures our freedom, allows our citizens to flourish, and enables our nation to serve as a model of liberty and justice for all."
He goes on to say that "truth is not determined by opinion polls".He goes on to say that "truth is not determined by opinion polls".
"We ignore fleeting distractions and focus our attention on the things that matter, because a republic that endures is not governed by the news cycle.""We ignore fleeting distractions and focus our attention on the things that matter, because a republic that endures is not governed by the news cycle."
In his conclusion, he echoes one of Mr Trump's campaign slogans: "We keep the faith, we follow the rules, and we always put America first."In his conclusion, he echoes one of Mr Trump's campaign slogans: "We keep the faith, we follow the rules, and we always put America first."
The White House said Mr Trump had already nominated Deputy Transportation Secretary Jeffrey Rosen to replace Mr Rosenstein.
A not-so-subtle rebuke
Rod Rosenstein is leaving the justice department, and he's doing it on his own terms.
Not too long ago, such a dignified exit would have come as a real surprise to most observers.
Donald Trump frequently seemed to view Mr Rosenstein as an internal threat. It got so bad that Mr Rosenstein reportedly expressed fear that he would be unceremoniously sacked via presidential tweet.
Rosenstein managed to navigate the hazardous terrain of the Trump administration, however, seeing the special counsel investigation that he initiated to its conclusion. It is that Russia inquiry, with its no-Trump-conspiracy conclusion and open question on presidential obstruction, that will be Mr Rosenstein's legacy.
Mr Rosenstein announced his departure with a six-paragraph mini-lecture on the importance of a justice department free of political influence and respect for the rule of law.
That could be viewed as a not-so-subtle rebuke of the president's near-constant badgering of justice department officials, although it will almost certainly fall on deaf ears.
Perhaps, however, it will allow the long-time government lawyer a measure of satisfaction, believing he had the last word.
In this administration, that is a not unremarkable achievement.
Why were Rosenstein and Trump at odds?
In May 2017, Mr Rosenstein was left in charge of appointing someone to oversee the Russia investigation after Mr Trump fired FBI Director James Comey.
Jeff Sessions, who was attorney general at the time, had already recused himself, meaning that his deputy had to take on the responsibility.
Mr Rosenstein surprised the White House by appointing Mr Mueller, a former FBI director.
The deputy attorney general spent the past two years overseeing Mr Mueller's work and defending the inquiry from attacks by Mr Trump, who continually condemned the probe as a "witch hunt".
Mr Rosenstein's departure seemed imminent after the New York Times last September reported that he had discussed ousting Mr Trump.
Citing anonymous sources, the newspaper said Mr Rosenstein had suggested secretly recording the president in order to prove he was dysfunctional.
He had supposedly cited the 25th amendment of the constitution, which allows for the removal of a president if deemed unfit for office.
Mr Rosenstein dismissed the claims as "inaccurate and factually incorrect", and a justice department source told the BBC at the time that the comment had been sarcastic.
But former acting FBI chief Andrew McCabe said in a TV interview that Mr Rosenstein was serious when he suggested wearing a wire inside the White House to covertly tape the president.
Mr Trump attacked the alleged plan on Twitter as "treasonous".
While Mr Rosenstein managed to weather that controversy, Mr Trump in November retweeted an image of the deputy attorney general behind prison bars.