In a recent move with potentially wide-reaching implications for the District of Minnesota, Joseph H. Thompson has been named Acting United States Attorney by President Donald J. Trump. Thompson, with a legal career spanning over sixteen years, steps into his new role carrying a weighty portfolio of federal prosecution experience behind him. "I am honored and humbled to be asked to lead the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota," Thompson stated, emphasizing his commitment to tackling "violent crime, the scourge of fentanyl and other deadly drugs, and the shocking and unacceptable levels of fraud in our state government programs."
Throughout his tenure, Thompson has aimed to combat serious nationwide issues, leading significant inquiries and prosecutions, including overseeing the Fraud & Public Corruption section in Minnesota. There, he helped to vigorously pursue major cases, such as the Feeding Our Future investigation—the largest COVID-19-related fraud case recognized by the Department of Justice. Prior to this, he made impactful contributions on the Special Counsel team from 2023 to 2024, which was established to scrutinize the mishandling of classified documents found at locations associated with President Joseph R. Biden.
Before focusing his efforts in Minnesota, Thompson cut his teeth as a federal prosecutor in Chicago from 2009 to 2014, prosecuting a broad swath of offenders from corrupt politicians to domestic terrorists. This background is marked by more than twenty jury trials and engagements before the Eighth and Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. His distinguished service earned him the 2024 Attorney General’s Award for his role as the lead prosecutor in a major elder fraud case.
Beyond his in-court accomplishments, Thompson has shared his expertise, shaping future legal practitioners through teaching advanced criminal law at the University of Minnesota Law School and trial advocacy at the Department of Justice’s National Advocacy Center in South Carolina. According to his official statement, this reflects an enduring dedication to enrich the profession he has helped to shape and continue to advance justice in diverse ways.
Minnesota-born and Stanford Law educated, Thompson's local roots and national clout position him as an influential player in the legal arena. His career, offset by a stint in private practice and clerking for notable courts, including the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and the Supreme Court of the Republic of Palau, has now circled back to serve the community where his journey began.
