Who has power over the doj?
Asked by: Mr. Ruben Homenick | Last update: October 26, 2025Score: 4.4/5 (60 votes)
The department is headed by the U.S. attorney general, who reports directly to the president of the United States and is a member of the president's Cabinet. Merrick Garland has served as attorney general since March 2021 to 2025. The acting attorney general is James McHenry.
What branch of government controls the DOJ?
Since the 1870 Act that established the Department of Justice as an executive department of the government of the United States, the Attorney General has guided the world's largest law office and the central agency for enforcement of federal laws.
Who does the DOJ answer to?
The Department of Justice (DOJ) is a body of the U.S. federal government that enforces its laws. It is represented in the cabinet by the Attorney General, the country's lead law enforcement officer and adviser to the President on matters relating to justice.
Who oversees the U.S. DOJ?
Under the leadership of the Attorney General of the United States, the Justice Department is composed of more than 40 separate component organizations and more than 115,000 employees.
Who is above DOJ?
The Attorney General of the United States – appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate – heads the DOJ with its more than 100,000 attorneys, special agents, and other staff. It represents the United States in federal criminal and civil litigation, and provides legal advice to the President and Cabinet.
Trump Justice Department fires officials who investigated Trump
Who is second in command at DOJ?
The Deputy Attorney General (DAG), appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the Department of Justice's second-ranking official and functions as a Chief Operating Officer.
Who has more authority, FBI or CIA?
Great question. Lots of people get the CIA and FBI confused. The CIA's mission is to collect foreign intelligence overseas, where as the FBI addresses domestic issues. The CIA does not have law enforcement authority and does not collect information concerning the domestic activities of American citizens.
Who is in control of the Department of Justice?
§§ 501 and 503), the Department of Justice (DOJ or the Department) is headed by the Attorney General of the United States. The Department was created to control federal law enforcement, and all criminal prosecutions and civil suits in which the United States has an interest.
Is the US Attorney General the head of the DOJ?
The United States Attorney General is the head of the United States Department of Justice and serves as the chief law enforcement officer of the federal government. The Attorney General acts as the principal legal advisor to the President of the United States on all legal matters.
Is the CIA part of the DOJ?
No, the CIA is not part of the Department of Justice. It is an independent federal agency. The director of the CIA is a cabinet-level appointee who is appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. The CIA is headquartered in Langley, Virginia.
How powerful are US attorneys?
As chief federal law enforcement officers, U.S. attorneys have authority over all federal law enforcement personnel within their districts and may direct them to engage, cease or assist in investigations.
Who investigates the Department of Justice?
The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) in the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is a statutorily created independent entity whose mission is to detect and deter waste, fraud, abuse, and misconduct in the Department of Justice, and to promote economy and efficiency in the Department's operations.
Who has the highest authority in law enforcement?
Answer and Explanation: The Department of Justice is the law enforcement agency with the most power in the United States. In fact, its job is to enforce federal laws. The Department of Justice is led by the attorney general, a cabinet-level official who is appointed by the president.
Can the president fire cabinet members?
The members of the Cabinet whom the president appoints serve at the pleasure of the president. The president can dismiss them from office at any time without the approval of the Senate or downgrade their Cabinet membership status.
Who has authority over the FBI?
Within the U.S. Department of Justice, the FBI is responsible to the attorney general, and it reports its findings to U.S. Attorneys across the country. The FBI's intelligence activities are overseen by the Director of National Intelligence.
Who currently runs the DOJ?
It is equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries. The department is headed by the U.S. attorney general, who reports directly to the president of the United States and is a member of the president's Cabinet. Merrick Garland has served as attorney general since March 2021 to 2025.
Who is more powerful, US Attorney or Attorney General?
United States Attorneys serve as the nation's principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General of the United States of America.
How much is the U.S. attorney general paid?
The average Attorney General in the US makes $115,045. Attorney Generals make the most in San Jose, CA at $227,143 averaging total compensation 97% greater than US average.
Who oversees the DEA and Department of Justice?
The DEA is headed by an administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration appointed by the president of the United States and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. The Administrator reports to the attorney general through the deputy attorney general.
What branch of government does the DOJ fall under?
The DOJ is a part of the executive branch of the government and is headed by the Attorney General (AG) of the United States.
Is FBI under Department of Justice?
The FBI is an intelligence-driven and threat-focused national security organization with both intelligence and law enforcement responsibilities. It is the principal investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Justice and a full member of the U.S. Intelligence Community.
Who is the most powerful agency in the world?
- CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) – United States. ...
- Mossad – Israel. ...
- MI6 (Secret Intelligence Service) – United Kingdom. ...
- DGSE (Direction Générale de la Sécurité Extérieure) – France. ...
- MSS (Ministry of State Security) – China.
Why can't CIA operate on U.S. soil?
By law, CIA is specifically prohibited from collecting foreign intelligence concerning the domestic activities of US citizens. Its mission is to collect information related to foreign intelligence and foreign counterintelligence.
What branch is above the CIA?
The CIA is not within a cabinet level department so it stands alone except for some budgetary control and priorities by the Director of National Intelligence (DNI).