U.S. Attorney Trini Ross prepares to leave position

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — A new presidential administration means changes are coming to the Justice Department, including the U.S. attorneys who oversee each district.

Current U.S. Attorney for the Western District of New York Trini Ross is preparing to leave her position after roughly four years.

During her tenure, Ross said she dealt with highs and lows, never taking a vacation in the more than three years on the job to ensure that the work got done.

“I went to Hutch Tech High School and you could see it from my window over there and I say I’ve just gone two blocks from where I’ve started,” she said.

Ross, a Buffalo native, was first nominated by former President Joe Biden in July 2021 and was unanimously confirmed by the Senate two months later, becoming the first Black woman to hold the position in the area.

Ross oversees the prosecution of any federal case within the 17 counties of Western New York.

“I like to analogize it to Simone Biles. When we see her at the Olympics and she’s doing tricks that nobody else could do that are named after her, we don’t see her in the gym falling and falling and getting it right, but that’s what we do,” Ross said. “We work really hard behind the scenes to try to get it right, so when we’re presenting that case in court, it should look smooth.”

One of the most difficult cases the U.S. Western District has dealt with under Ross is one that’s still ongoing: the case against Tops mass shooter, Payton Gendron, which garnered international attention.

“The hardest part for me was all eyes on Buffalo and Western New York. The type of cases we do in this office, there’s always a lot of emotion and we have to be really careful and diligent about how we handle our cases, but usually, those are just local,” Ross said. “Me being the first black woman in this position, I’m highly cognizant of that, of how people are looking at me, and one misstep will take, you know, people off tasks in a different direction about me and it’s not ever about me. It’s always about the work of the government that I do in this position.”

WIVB News 4 asked Ross what she expects to see happen under President Donald Trump’s new administration.

“I started in this office in 1995. I’ve been under many administrations, Democrat, Republicans, about seven U.S. attorneys if you count the acting ones, and it’s about priorities,” she said. “What are their priorities and what is our job to carry out enforcing the rules and the laws of the United States based on the priorities of any administration.”

Although she has no official end date, Ross said she is preparing for the change that comes with a new administration. She said she’s ready for some rest before she decides what’s next.

Latest Local News

Truck driver sentenced for shooting at another occupied tractor trailer on I-90

WNY residents concerned about how tariffs may affect prices

Mister Sizzle’s to close current, ‘under construction’ locations indefinitely

‘Braver than brave’: Tucker Williams’ spirit lives on in Banditland battle against cancer

6 people displaced by fire on Prospect Avenue

Marlee Tuskes is an award-winning anchor and reporter who has been part of the News 4 team since 2019. See more of her work here and follow her on Twitter.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to News 4 Buffalo.