President Donald Trump on Wednesday fired Roger Rogoff less than an hour after he was sworn in as U.S. attorney for the Western District of Washington, escalating a dispute over who should lead the federal prosecutor's office in the Seattle-based district.

According to multiple reports, Rogoff took the oath of office shortly before 8 a.m. PDT. He later told The Associated Press he received an email from the Trump administration notifying him of his termination while waiting in the lobby of the U.S. attorney's office.

The dispute traces back to Trump's appointment of former immigration judge Charles Neil Floyd as interim U.S. attorney in October. After Floyd's 120-day interim term expired in February, Trump redesignated him as first assistant U.S. attorney to keep him in the office.

A federal appeals court panel later questioned whether that arrangement was lawful. In response, 17 active and former federal judges in the district unanimously appointed Rogoff, a former King County Superior Court judge and former assistant U.S. attorney, to the position.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche defended Trump's decision Wednesday, arguing the judges sidestepped the traditional appointment process.

"The judges in the Evergreen State abandoned the time-honored process of consultation with the administration so that the selected U.S. attorney is qualified to serve in the administration," Blanche said, according to The Hill.

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., reportedly blasted the firing, calling Rogoff "eminently qualified" while labeling Floyd an "out-of-touch extremist."

"This administration doesn't want to deal with advice and consent — they just want to install cronies to carry out a corrupt political agenda. The people of Washington state deserve someone in this role who will enforce the law fairly and responsibly — not some Trump administration sock puppet," Murray said.

Rogoff told the AP he is consulting with attorneys about possible legal action following his dismissal.

"The fact that the judges of this district — most of whom I've spent my career appearing in front of, or trying cases against, or working with — believed that I was the right person to do this work is just really humbling and amazing," Rogoff said.

The move leaves unresolved the legal fight over leadership of the Western District of Washington as the Trump administration continues to assert its authority over U.S. attorney appointments.