Mary McCord, the Department of Justice’s acting assistant attorney general for national security, who was spearheading the investigation into potential relations between the Trump campaign and Russia, is leaving her job next month, The Associated Press reported Thursday.
McCord entered the Justice Department’s national security division in 2014 and later stepped up to acting assistant attorney general of the Department in 2016 after John Carlin resigned the permanent post.
According to the AP, McCord announced her decision to explore other opportunities to staff earlier in the week.
McCord’s exit from the Department leaves another vacancy at DOJ in need of an appointment from President Trump.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ choices for DOJ’s second and third in charge, deputy and associate attorney general are still waiting to be confirmed by the Senate. The White House has not released any names of other senior political appointees at the agency.