United States Department of Justice
US federal department led by the attorney general
- Entries
- 10
- On the record
- 1
- Stories
- 1
- Latest entry
- Nov 5, 2026
The record
The Department of Justice traces its origin to the Judiciary Act signed on September 24, 1789, which created the office of Attorney General, and Congress adopted An Act to establish the Department of Justice in 1870 as that office's work grew. The Attorney General heads the department as chief litigator and chief law enforcement officer of the United States. It has more than 115,000 employees in more than 30 component organizations, including the FBI, the DEA, ATF, the Marshals Service and the Bureau of Prisons.
The department's list of attorneys general since 2009 runs from Eric H. Holder Jr. through Loretta E. Lynch, Jefferson B. Sessions III, William P. Barr and Merrick B. Garland to Pamela J. Bondi, whose tenure it gives as 2025 to 2026. Todd Blanche, sworn in as the 40th deputy attorney general on March 6, 2025, served as acting attorney general and was sworn in as the 88th attorney general on August 10, 2026. Before that he practiced as a defense lawyer in New York, including representing President Trump in three criminal cases brought in 2023 and 2024.
Congress enacted $36.1 billion in discretionary budget authority for the department for fiscal 2026, covering 106,573 positions, and the department requested $40.8 billion and 113,122 positions for fiscal 2027, a 13.0 percent increase. Law enforcement and the U.S. attorneys' offices account for 54.4 percent of that request and prisons and detention for 33.1 percent. In October 2026 its inspector general found that the informant policies of ATF, the DEA, the FBI and the Marshals Service substantially complied with department guidance but each needed updates.
Roles and honours on the record
- 1870-present Executive department headed by the Attorney General, the chief litigator and chief law enforcement officer of the United States source
- as of 2026 Employer of more than 115,000 people in more than 30 component organizations source
- as of 2026 Headquartered at the Robert F. Kennedy Building in Washington, DC, with field offices in all states and territories and a presence in over 100 countries source
- 2026-present Led by Todd Blanche, 88th Attorney General, sworn in August 10, 2026 source
Every entry, newest first
- Reported
Attorney General Todd Blanche said on X he accepted Dhillon's resignation. Harmeet Dhillon resigns at DOJ; says she was asked to wait
- Reported
MS NOW reported at least six criminal section leaders resigned; a DOJ official said they had sought early retirement. Harmeet Dhillon resigns at DOJ; says she was asked to wait
Stories in this file
The record, entry by entry
- 1789-09-24 Official The Judiciary Act was signed, providing for a person learned in the law to act as attorney general for the United States. Department of Justice, Attorneys General throughout history
- 1870 Official Congress adopted An Act to establish the Department of Justice after the Attorney General's responsibilities had expanded beyond an office that began with a staff of two. DOJ FY 2027 Budget and Performance Summary, department overview
- 2024-03-21 Filed The department, joined by New Jersey and 15 other states, sued Apple in federal court in New Jersey, alleging it monopolizes the smartphone and performance smartphone markets. New Jersey Attorney General press release
- 2025-03-06 Official Todd Blanche was sworn in as the 40th Deputy Attorney General. Department of Justice, Attorney General biography
- 2026 Official The department requested $40.8 billion in net discretionary budget authority and 113,122 positions for fiscal 2027, up from $36.1 billion and 106,573 positions enacted for fiscal 2026, and estimated a further $10.1 billion in mandatory budget authority. DOJ FY 2027 Budget and Performance Summary
- 2026-08-10 Official Blanche was sworn in as the 88th Attorney General after serving as Acting Attorney General; the department lists his predecessor Pamela J. Bondi's tenure as 2025 to 2026. Department of Justice, Attorney General biography
- 2026-10-28 Official The Inspector General found that the confidential-informant policies of ATF, the DEA, the FBI and the Marshals Service substantially complied with Attorney General guidance but needed updates, and that DOJ had not been entirely consistent in its controls; the components concurred with all five recommendations. DOJ Office of the Inspector General, audit report 27-003
- 2026-11-05 Official The department announced a Super Intelligence Task Force led by Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward and Associate Deputy Attorney General Stephen Weiss, aimed at misuse of super intelligence by foreign state actors, criminal organizations and fraudsters. Department of Justice press release
Documents
- DOJ FY 2027 Budget and Performance Summary, overview and budget at a glance
- DOJ Inspector General, Audit of the Department of Justice Components' Confidential Informant Policies, report 27-003 (Oct. 2026)
- Attorneys General throughout history
- Attorney General Todd Blanche, official biography
- About the Department of Justice