United States Attorney General

Attorney General of the United States of America
Seal of the Department of Justice
Flag of the Attorney General
Incumbent Dana Boente Acting since January 30, 2017
United States Department of Justice
Style	The Honorable (formal) Mister Attorney General (informal)
Member of	Cabinet
Reports to	The President
Seat	Washington, D.C., United States
Appointer	The President with Senate confirmation
Term length	No fixed term
Constituting instrument	Judiciary Act of 1789
Formation	September 26, 1789
First holder	Edmund Randolph
Succession	Seventh
Deputy	Deputy Attorney General
Salary	Executive Schedule, level 1
Website	www.justice.gov

The United States Attorney General (A.G.) is the head of the United States Department of Justice per 28 U.S.C. § 503, concerned with legal affairs, and is usually assumed to be the chief law enforcement officer and chief lawyer of the United States government. The office is currently held by Acting Attorney General Dana J. Boente, who assumed the office on January 30, 2017 after the firing of Acting Attorney General Sally Yates. The attorney general serves as a member of the Cabinet of the President of the United States and is the only cabinet officer who does not have the title of secretary.

The Attorney General is appointed by the President and takes office after confirmation by the United States Senate. He or she serves at the pleasure of the president and can be removed by the president at any time; the attorney general is also subject to impeachment by the House of Representatives and trial in the Senate for "treason, bribery, and other high crimes and misdemeanors".

The office of Attorney General was established by Congress by the Judiciary Act of 1789. The original duties of this officer were "to prosecute and conduct all suits in the Supreme Court in which the United States shall be concerned, and to give his or her advice and opinion upon questions of law when required by the president of the United States, or when requested by the heads of any of the departments." In 1870, the Department of Justice was established to support the attorney general in the discharge of their responsibilities. The Attorney General, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, and the Secretary of Defense are generally regarded as the four most important cabinet officials because of the importance of their departments.