Colin McDonald (attorney)
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Colin McDonald | |
|---|---|
_(cropped_1).jpg) McDonald in 2025 | |
| United States Assistant Attorney General for the National Fraud Enforcement Division | |
| Assumed office April 1, 2026 | |
| President | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Todd Kim[a] |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Colin Michael McDonald February 13, 1988 |
| Children | 5 |
Colin Michael McDonald (born February 13, 1988) is an American attorney and prosecutor who has served as the United States assistant attorney general for the national fraud enforcement division since 2026.
McDonald began working as an assistant United States attorney in the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of California in 2014. He prosecuted several individuals associated with the Honolulu Police Department, including its chief, Louis Kealoha, and his wife, Katherine. In January 2025, McDonald became an associate deputy attorney general working for deputy attorney general Todd Blanche. He served as the co-director of the Weaponization Working Group within the Department of Justice and coordinated with federal law enforcement agencies in seeking to prosecute protesters who opposed Operation Metro Surge.
In January 2026, president Donald Trump named McDonald as his nominee for assistant attorney general for the National Fraud Enforcement Division, a newly established position. McDonald appeared before the Senate Committee on the Judiciary the following month, in which he faced questions over political prosecutions. He was confirmed by the Senate in March.
Colin Michael McDonald was born on February 13, 1988, in San Diego County, California.[1] McDonald has a wife and five children.[2]
Career
Assistant U.S. attorney (2014–2024)
McDonald began working as an assistant United States attorney in the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of California in 2014.[2] He prosecuted former Honolulu Police Department chief Louis Kealoha; his wife, Katherine; and two police officers.[3]
Associate deputy attorney general (2025–present)
In January 2025, McDonald began working for deputy attorney general Todd Blanche[4] as an associate deputy attorney general.[5] As Minnesota officials and protesters conflicted with the Trump administration over Operation Metro Surge in January 2026, McDonald began coordinating with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations to quickly prosecute protesters. McDonald additionally worked with Aakash Singh in finding evidence to indict Minnesota governor Tim Walz, Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey, and Minnesota attorney general Keith Ellison.[4] By the following month, McDonald had been working with deputy homeland security advisor Anthony Salisbury on a working group to prosecute election fraud.[6] McDonald had additionally served as the co-director of the Weaponization Working Group by February.[7]