Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein is expected to resign as soon as new Attorney General William Barr is confirmed, an ABC News report claims. Rosenstein’s departure has long been the subject of speculation.

Citing anonymous sources, ABC claims that Rosenstein will leave his position as the nation’s number two law enforcement officer around the time William Barr, President Trump’s nominee for Attorney General, takes office following a Senate confirmation. Barr’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing takes place next week.

The source said that Rosenstein is resigning of his own accord, and not being forced out by Trump. The Deputy AG had apparently planned all along to serve for two years.

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The source said that Rosenstein is resigning of his own accord, and not being forced out by Trump. The Deputy AG had apparently planned all along to serve for two years.

Rosenstein has been overseeing Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s ongoing ‘Russiagate’ investigation since former Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from the role in March 2017. Barr will assume oversight of the probe once confirmed as AG.

In his time in charge of Mueller’s years-long investigation, Rosenstein has been criticized by some Republicans for authorizing the surveillance of former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page, and for failing to appoint a second special counsel to probe his own department’s handling of the Russia investigation. 11 House Republicans introduced articles of impeachment against Rosenstein last July based on this alleged misconduct, a move that ultimately went nowhere.

important note on news of Rosenstein's imminent departure: the end of the investigation may be nigh 👇 https://t.co/dqtpMcL0q3 — Catherine Philp ❄️ (@scribblercat) January 9, 2019

In October, speculation mounted that Trump would fire Rosenstein, after a salacious New York Times op-ed by a supposed Trump cabinet ‘insider’ claimed that Rosenstein had suggested wearing a wire to secretly record the president to prove he was unfit for office.

After the report broke, Trump promised to get rid of a “lingering stench” at the Justice Department, but weeks later stated that he had a “very good relationship” with Rosenstein, and had “no plans” to give the Deputy AG his marching orders.

The forced resignation of Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who Trump had accused of failing to “take control” of the Justice Department, a month later once again prompted speculation that Rosenstein’s days were numbered. Despite the rumors, Rosenstein held onto his job.

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