Page:CTRL0000034600 - Transcribed Interview of Richard Peter Donoghue, (Oct. 1, 2021).pdf/135

135 upset. He was adamant that you're a Never Trumper and that you should never have been in his administration and that, when your resignation comes in tomorrow, he wants it accepted right away, and you'll be out."

I did, however, tell him, pursuant to a conversation that Jeff Rosen and I had back at the Department headquarters, that he could stay on for 2 weeks as a DOJ employee if he wanted to.

Jeff Rosen came up with that. He said, you know, we can make B.J. a Schedule C employee, keep him on for a couple weeks, make his exit more graceful. The President was very clear that he couldn't serve as the U.S. attorney after tomorrow, but he didn't say he wanted him out of the Department.

So Jeff Rosen said, "Offer that to B.J. You know, let me know that he's got our support if he wants to stay on for a few weeks to ease his exit. That's fine with us." I made that offer to B.J. I told him it was coming from Jeff Rosen. He said he appreciated it; he would think about it and let me know.

He then called me back early the next morning, said he was on his way to his office. He was going to clear out his office and leave. He appreciated the offer, but he was not going to take it if the President didn't want him in the Department. He was just going to go.

Uh-huh. And then he did, in fact, resign abruptly and leave on January 4th. Is that right?

Yes.

Okay.

And then did you also follow up with Mr. Christine, speak to him about this truck allegation when he became the acting U.S. attorney in Atlanta?

Yes, I talked to Bobby that night. I gave him a very brief explanation. I