Rod Rosenstein

Rod J. Rosenstein (born January 13, 1965) is an American attorney and former prosecutor who served as the 37th United States Deputy Attorney General from April 2017 to May 2019. Appointed by President Donald Trump, he acted as the Department of Justice's second-ranking official during a period of intense scrutiny over federal investigations into Russian election interference and related matters. Prior to his national role, Rosenstein held the position of United States Attorney for the District of Maryland from 2005 to 2017, becoming the longest-serving U.S. Attorney in the nation at the end of his tenure, during which he oversaw prosecutions of public corruption, violent crime, and financial fraud cases. Rosenstein's early career included service as a trial attorney in the DOJ's Public Integrity Section, principal deputy assistant attorney general in the Tax Division, and counsel to Deputy Attorney General Jamie Gorelick, accumulating nearly three decades of experience in federal law enforcement before his elevation. As Deputy Attorney General, he authored a memorandum critiquing FBI Director James Comey's handling of the Hillary Clinton email investigation, which provided the basis for Comey's dismissal by President Trump on May 9, 2017. Eight days later, Rosenstein appointed former FBI Director Robert Mueller as special counsel to investigate Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and potential obstruction of justice. His oversight of the FBI's Crossfire Hurricane investigation drew significant controversy, including his approval of three renewals of a FISA warrant to surveil Trump campaign adviser Carter Page, which a subsequent DOJ Inspector General report identified as containing multiple inaccuracies and omissions in supporting affidavits. Rosenstein later testified that, with knowledge of those flaws, he would not have signed the final renewal. Following his departure from the DOJ, Rosenstein transitioned to private practice, joining the law firm King & Spalding in 2020 before moving to Baker McKenzie in 2025, where he advises on complex civil and criminal matters.

Rod Jay Rosenstein was born on January 13, 1965, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Robert Rosenstein, who operated a small business, and Geraldine "Gerri" Stoloff Rosenstein, a bookkeeper who also served as president of the local school board in Lower Moreland Township. The family was Jewish, with Rosenstein's upbringing reflecting a stable, upper-middle-class suburban environment that emphasized education and community involvement.

Raised in Lower Moreland Township, a Philadelphia suburb also known as part of the Huntingdon Valley area, Rosenstein attended public schools, graduating from high school in 1982. His mother's role on the school board highlighted a household commitment to local governance and public education, while his father's business operations provided a model of entrepreneurial self-reliance. Early activities included participation in Jewish Community Center sports, such as softball, underscoring ties to the local Jewish community without deeper public details on religious observance.

Rosenstein has disclosed limited details about his non-professional community affiliations. In a questionnaire submitted to the Senate Judiciary Committee ahead of his 2017 confirmation hearing as Deputy Attorney General, he identified membership in a Jewish community organization in Baltimore, Maryland, reflecting his Jewish heritage.