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Attorney General Jones Forms Dedicated Legal Unit to Confront Unprecedented Trump Administration Overreach

Federal Accountability Unit establishes dedicated personnel and resources to challenge unlawful federal action and protect Virginians

RICHMOND, Va. -- Attorney General Jay Jones today announced the creation of the Federal Accountability Unit, a new team within the Office of the Attorney General dedicated to confronting Trump administration actions that exceed federal authority and threaten Virginia’s interests.

The unit will include four new attorneys working across the Office of the Solicitor General and Civil Litigation Division and will be led by Deputy Solicitor General Megan Keenan. The first cross-functional team of its kind within the Office of Attorney General establishes permanent capacity to identify emerging threats, respond quickly, and take legal action.

“I have a fundamental responsibility as Attorney General to defend the Commonwealth and protect Virginians when the federal government exceeds its authority,” said Attorney General Jay Jones. “I promised to put Virginia first, and the Federal Accountability Unit will take on Trump administration actions that hurt Virginians, from tariffs that exacerbate the cost crisis, to the damage left behind by DOGE. My team will be ready to act when Trump holds critical funding hostage, when federal policies threaten Virginia workers and families, or when the President attacks our democracy. The creation of this unit ensures dedicated personnel and resources are in place to fight back in court and protect the people we serve.”

The Federal Accountability Unit will serve as Virginia’s front line when Trump attempts to coerce states, undermine state law, abuse enforcement power, target workers or institutions, or otherwise threaten the Commonwealth and its residents.

Its portfolio will include issues of federal funding, elections, healthcare, immigration, environmental protections, consumer issues, constitutional rights, tariffs and other economic policies, and the continuing fallout from DOGE’s cuts to the federal workforce. The team will bring affirmative litigation, defend the state’s interests, and move rapidly as new legal threats emerge.

“We understand the weight of this work and the stakes for Virginians,” said Deputy Solicitor General Megan Keenan. “We will move quickly, defend the Commonwealth, and meet unlawful action with the full force of the law. Our charge is to anticipate and counter emerging threats, build the strongest cases possible, and ensure the state is prepared when its interests or its people are put at risk.”

The team will also coordinate multistate litigation and work alongside attorneys general across the country on consequential cases involving Trump administration policies and actions.

The new structure builds on Attorney General Jones’ work challenging unlawful federal actions in court. Since taking office, the Office of Attorney General has joined dozens of multistate cases and pursued litigation involving federal workers, public funding, essential services, economic issues, and constitutional rights. Applications for these positions can be found here.

Published on: August 26, 2026

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