Western District of Virginia United States Attorney Todd Gilbert has resigned from his position effective at 5 p.m. Wednesday, according to a spokesperson for the office. Robert Tracci, who was serving under Gilbert, will be the acting United States attorney for the Western District of Virginia.
Both Gilbert and Tracci were recommended by Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine to fill the position in the new administration. President Donald Trump Chose Gilbert, with Tracci set to work in the position under him. Gilbert served as the United States attorney for just over a month.
Gilbert did not answer multiple phone calls from Virginia Scope on Wednesday night. He did, however, post a meme on social media. Tagging his post from July 14 of him being sworn into office, Gilbert shared a new message in the format of a meme, which said, “Boy, that escalated quickly.”
Gilbert resigned from the House of Delegates when he was sworn in as the United States attorney last month. The election to fill his seat is taking place on November 4.
He served the leader of the House Republican Caucus since 2020, which includes two years as Speaker of the House and was in the chamber for nearly 20 years in total.
“It’s kind of a once in a lifetime opportunity,” Gilbert said during an interview with Virginia Scope in March, when discussing the possibility of leaving the house for the United States attorney position. “I think everybody in Richmond who knows me knows that I have the heart of a prosecutor.”
Tracci previously worked in the WDVA as a Special Assistant United States Attorney and was the Albermarle Commonwealth’s Attorney. In the early 2000s, he was the Chief Legislative Counsel for the U.S. House Judiciary Committee and Deputy Assistant to the United States Attorney General in 2007 and 2008.
Tracci referred Virginia Scope to the Western District’s spokesperson. The spokesperson provided no details besides confirming that Gilbert resigned.
Related: Sources explain why Gilbert resigned.