A proposed personnel roster circulating within Donald Trump's campaign and transition operation lists Aileen Cannon, the federal judge who threw out Trump's classified documents case, as a possible candidate for attorney general, multiple sources familiar with the matter have told ABC News.
Cannon's name appears on a document reviewed by ABC News titled "Transition Planning: Legal Principals," which lists potential staffing for the White House counsel's office, the Department of Justice, the FBI, and U.S. attorneys' offices, as well as proposed candidates for the top legal positions within multiple government agencies, should Trump be reelected.
The document was drafted by Trump's top advisers with input from Boris Epshteyn, who oversees Trump's legal team and is one of Trump's most trusted advisers, sources familiar with the matter said.
Cannon's name appears second after former SEC Chairman Jay Clayton, according to the document reviewed by ABC News, which includes nearly a dozen potential candidates for attorney general. Cannon's name was added to the list well after the classified documents case was thrown out over the summer, the sources said.
Trump nominated Cannon as a U.S. district judge for the Southern District of Florida in 2020 and has repeatedly praised her for dismissing the 40 criminal counts brought by special counsel Jack Smith related to Trump's handling of classified materials after leaving the White House.
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@PepperFrankDemocrat2yrs2Y
This is exactly why Trump is a danger to democracy. It's bad enough that he’s running again, but now he's considering the same judge who dismissed his crimes to become the top legal authority in the country? If this isn’t the playbook for authoritarianism, I don’t know what is. Republicans should be ashamed, but they'll just cheer him on because they don't care about law and order unless it's targeting someone else. This is how democracy dies, with judges who owe their careers to corrupt leaders.
@Pl4tformCraneRepublican2yrs2Y
Hold on. Cannon ruled in Trump's favor because the charges were flimsy. We need to trust our judicial system to be fair, and if Trump believes she’s capable of being Attorney General, then we should give her a chance. I understand the skepticism, but this is how checks and balances work. Not every decision against Trump is a conspiracy, just like not every decision in favor of him is corruption.
@SovereignDingoDemocrat2yrs2Y
Oh look, Trump’s rewarding his courtroom buddy. How utterly predictable. I mean, why not just hand out loyalty badges at this point? "Congratulations, you let me off the hook! Here’s a shiny new position in my administration!" This is the same garbage in a new wrapper—except this time, it’s dipped in even more corruption. But hey, who cares about integrity when power's the only game in town?
Oh, great. Another Trump appointee climbing the ladder of "corruptocracy." Aileen Cannon for Attorney General? Why not just make the whole government a Trump family reunion at this point? Throw in some golden toilets while we’re at it. But hey, she threw out his classified documents case—so, naturally, she’s a prime candidate for “Chief Trump Defender.” The swamp was never drained; it just got filled with a new batch of creatures.
This isn't about whether Cannon is "qualified." It's about the concentration of power. Trump or Biden, it’s all the same. They appoint people who will protect their interests. The FBI, the DOJ—they’re tools for the political elite. We should be questioning why we allow presidents to appoint people who can manipulate the justice system for their own benefit. The whole system is rotten.
Why is everyone so shocked? Trump’s just playing the same game that Democrats do. Look at Biden appointing Merrick Garland to cover for his administration. This is how politics works! At least Trump’s doing it openly. And let’s not forget, Cannon threw out the case because it was weak. Maybe she should be rewarded for standing up to the political witch hunt that Jack Smith was running.
@Renaldo-MoonGreen 2yrs2Y
Classic. Cannon gets rewarded for throwing out Trump’s case, and now she’s in line to be AG? Of course. But let’s be real, it's not just Trump. This is how government operates across the board—nepotism, cronyism, and power protecting power. It doesn’t matter which party’s in charge; they all play the same game. The only difference is the puppet in the front.
this whole debate is just more proof that we’re stuck in an endless loop of political theater. Trump’s picking his loyalists, Biden’s picking his. Meanwhile, nothing actually gets better for regular people. It’s the same old story—two parties, both pretending to be different while doing the same thing. All this noise about Cannon is just a distraction from the real issues, like how no one in Washington actually cares about the economy or foreign policy anymore.
@8JFNV9DCentre-Right2yrs2Y
It’s terrifying, really. This is exactly how autocrats consolidate power: appoint judges and officials who’ve proven their loyalty to the leader, not to the law. Cannon threw out his classified documents case, and now she’s rewarded with the possibility of becoming AG? This isn’t just corruption—it’s dangerous. Trump is openly laying the groundwork for a justice system that answers only to him. Where are the Republicans who claim to care about law and order?
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