President Donald Trump has nominated a conservative Florida judge to serve as a federal prosecutor in the state.
It comes as the president pursues a sweeping overhaul of the “weaponized” Department of Justice (DOJ).
Trump picked state Judge Jason Reding Quiñones to oversee the Southern District of Florida.
The district covers Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach.
It’s routine for new presidents to replace U.S. attorneys appointed by their predecessors.
Trump said Quiñones would help the president’s mission to “make America safe again” as Trump pushes the DOJ to take a tough stance on crime and illegal immigration.
Currently, Quiñones is a state court trial judge overseeing domestic violence cases.
He also has experience working in the Southern District as an assistant U.S. attorney.
In addition, Quiñones has experience in the National Security Division at the DOJ as a military and federal prosecutor, according to the Federalist Society.
The former Air Force Judge Advocate (JAG) continues to serve as a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserve.
In a post on X, Trump highlighted Quiñones’ experience as a judge and prosecutor.
“It is my honor to nominate Judge Jason Reding Quiñones as the next United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida,” Trump wrote.
“A former Federal prosecutor and Justice Department National Security Official, Judge Reding Quiñones currently serves as a highly respected State Trial Judge in Miami and a Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force Reserve.
“As the next U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Judge Reding Quiñones will restore Law and Order, prosecute violent crimes and, MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN.
“Congratulations Jason!”
Trump’s pick was lauded by prominent conservative lawyer Mike Davis.
Davis is the founder of the Article III project.
Davis said Quiñones would “end the weaponization of law enforcement.”
Quiñones will refocus the Southern District on stopping “real crimes that affect real Americans–like violent crimes and migrant crimes,” Davis noted.
Judge Jason Reding Quiñones, my good friend, is the perfect pick by President Trump to serve as his United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida.
Jason will end the weaponization of law enforcement, hold accountable those who violated the constitutional rights of… pic.twitter.com/omSkMHQPpx
— 🇺🇸 Mike Davis 🇺🇸 (@mrddmia) February 16, 2025
Earlier this month, Quiñones moderated a Federalist Society panel discussion on “lawfare.”
Under former President Joe Biden, the DOJ led a pair of unprecedented prosecutions into Trump.
At the time, Trump was Biden’s chief political rival.
One of the since-dropped cases, which involved classified documents, was brought against Trump in Florida’s Southern District by Special Counsel Jack Smith.
Hayden O’Byrne, Trump’s interim U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of Florida since January, moved to drop the criminal charges against the president’s co-defendants.
The move came after Smith resigned and transferred the case to the U.S. Attorney’s office.
Last week, a federal court granted O’Byrne’s request to dismiss the charges against Trump aide Walt Nauta and former Mar-a-Lago property manager Carlos de Oliveira.
Meanwhile, the DOJ has fired career prosecutors based in Miami who assisted in Smith’s documents case.
The dismissals are part of a wider purge of DOJ officials who targeted Trump and his supporters.
“You played a significant role in prosecuting President Trump,” acting attorney general letter James McHenry wrote in a letter.
“The proper functioning of government critically depends on the trust superior officials place in their subordinates.
“Given your significant role in prosecuting the president, I do not believe that the leadership of the department can trust you to assist in implementing the president’s agenda faithfully.”
