The newly appointed interim U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of New York, chosen directly by President Donald Trump, is drawing national attention not only for his sudden elevation to the role but also for his history of sharply worded political commentary. John A. Sarcone III, a longtime attorney from Westchester County, previously used social media to criticize top Democratic figures—including President Joe Biden, former President Barack Obama, and Hillary Clinton—in highly charged terms.

In a December 2022 exchange online, Biden posted a New Year’s Eve message saying he was “ready to get things done.” Sarcone replied with a blistering comment, calling the president a “traitor” and insisting he should be tried for “treason,” adding that Biden was the “worst person to occupy the White House.” In additional posts, he referred to Obama as the “first illegal alien deported,” and suggested Clinton should face imprisonment for treason.

Despite the controversial statements, Sarcone assumed his new role without requiring Senate confirmation, as is permitted for interim U.S. attorney appointments. While he lacks traditional prosecutorial experience, he has practiced law for decades and previously worked with Trump’s campaign operations, giving him a long-standing connection to the former president.

During his swearing-in ceremony on Monday in Albany, Sarcone directly addressed questions about his qualifications. He argued that being an effective prosecutor hinges less on courtroom background and more on personal judgment, life experience, and wisdom.

“I believe the prosecutorial power—and the discretion that comes with it—is best entrusted to those with a full spectrum of professional and real-world experience,” he said. Sarcone emphasized that “common sense, wisdom, and informed judgment” are the foundation of good decision-making in his new role.

Sarcone outlined several priorities for his office, including boosting cooperation with law enforcement to address illegal crossings at the Canadian border, reducing widespread “lawlessness,” and cracking down on fraud, corruption, and schemes targeting the public. He also hinted at increased federal involvement in cases involving threats or harassment against college students based on religion or ideology, suggesting that universities and administrators could face consequences if they knowingly tolerate such behavior.

“Our reach will not stop at prosecuting those who violate federal law,” he said, according to Syracuse.com. “We will also hold accountable those who knowingly enable or support such violations in any capacity.”

While Sarcone’s appointment drew headlines, another breaking development underscored the Justice Department’s shifting priorities: the arrest of one of the top leaders of the violent gang MS-13 on the East Coast.

Federal officials confirmed that a 24-year-old man, identified as one of the three highest-ranking MS-13 leaders in the United States, was captured early Monday in Woodbridge, Virginia, just miles south of Washington, D.C. Authorities have not yet released his name, but described the arrest as a major breakthrough in ongoing anti-gang operations.

The takedown was monitored in real time by Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel from a tactical operations center, with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and senior DOJ official Emil Bove also on site.

“Early this morning, one of the top leaders of MS-13 was apprehended,” Bondi announced shortly after the arrest. “He was the leader for the East Coast, one of the top three in the entire country. He is an illegal alien from El Salvador—and he will not be living in our country much longer.”

Bondi praised federal agents for executing a “clean, safe operation,” adding that Virginia and the rest of the country were “a lot safer today” with the gang leader in custody. She credited the Trump administration with empowering law enforcement to more aggressively pursue violent criminal networks.

“From the second Donald Trump took office, he said he was going to make America safe,” Bondi said. “We shut down our borders, and now it’s our job to remove these people from the country. We will not have another Laken Riley.”

Bondi noted that arrests of criminal foreign nationals have risen 468 percent compared to the same period last year. “We didn’t need new laws,” she added. “We needed a new president.”

Patel echoed the message, promising that federal task forces would continue pursuing violent offenders wherever they operate. “If you continue to commit acts of violent crime,” he warned, “you will meet the same fate as this individual did this morning.”

Together, Sarcone’s appointment and the high-profile MS-13 arrest highlight the Justice Department’s shifting tone and priorities under the Trump administration—signaling tougher stances on immigration enforcement, gang crime, and public order across the country.