U.S. Attorney Damian Williams to Resign in December After Historic Tenure

U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Damian Williams, announced his plans to resign on Monday, marking the end of a historic tenure that began in 2021. Williams, who made history as the first Black U.S. Attorney for the Southern District, will step down at 11:59 p.m. on December 13.

During his time in office, Williams oversaw a series of high-profile cases, including the trial and conviction of former Sen. Bob Menendez, the indictment of New York City Mayor Eric Adams, the prosecution of Sean 'Diddy' Combs on sex trafficking charges, and the prosecution of former FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried. His leadership has been notable for upholding and exceeding the office’s standards of excellence, integrity, and independence.

In his resignation statement, Williams reflected on his time in office, saying, “Today is a bittersweet day for me, as I announce my resignation as United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York. It is bitter in the sense that I am leaving my dream job, leading an institution I love that is filled with the finest public servants in the world. It is sweet in that I am confident I am leaving at a time when the Office is functioning at an incredibly high level.”

Following Williams’ resignation, Deputy U.S. Attorney Edward Kim will assume the role of Acting U.S. Attorney. Additionally, President-elect Donald Trump has announced plans to replace Williams with former Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Jay Clayton, pending confirmation by the U.S. Senate.