Trump fired US Attorney SDNY Preet Bharara and replaced him with interim U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman on January 3, 2018. Trump has 120 days from January 3 to either nominate Berman for Senate confirmation as Bharara’s replacement or to pick someone else. If the 120 days runs out the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York might be decided by district court.
Those 120 days are coming up the first week in May—a couple weeks away. While Berman seemed like a shoo-in to be Trump’s guy, this happened. Berman recused himself from the Cohen investigation and raid. The recusal was OK’d by Rod Rosenstein at the Department of Justice.
What this means. Trump could nominate someone other than Berman to take Preet Bharara’s place, someone who would not be recused from the Cohen case, someone who might try to stop the Cohen investigation for Trump. A new nominee would have to be confirmed by the Senate. Trump has until May 3 or 4 to make the decision.