Washington AG-elect Nick Brown fears next Trump term bringing ‘uniquely dangerous threats’
Attorney General-elect Nick Brown on Dec. 3 warned that the incoming presidential administration could spell “uniquely dangerous threats” for Washington state.
Brown delivered the keynote address Dec. 3 for The Washington Observer’s 2024 Re-Wire Conference at the Marriott in downtown Tacoma. Early in his speech, the Democrat referenced the re-election of Donald Trump to a second stint in the White House.
Brown vowed that as attorney general, he’ll stand up for Washington’s laws and shared values — and take legal action if necessary.
“Make no mistake, I do view the threats from the next Trump administration as profoundly serious and as uniquely dangerous to some of the protections and interests here in Washington state,” he said.
Karoline Leavitt, spokeswoman for the president-elect’s transition team, sees it differently.
“President Trump will serve ALL Americans, even those who did not vote for him in the election,” Leavitt told McClatchy via email on Dec. 4. “He will unify the country through success.”
Brown’s predecessor, Attorney General Bob Ferguson, is gearing up for his new job as governor. As the state’s top lawyer, Ferguson sued the Trump administration close to 100 times.
Now Brown appears poised to pick up where Ferguson left off.
While Democrats performed comparatively well in Washington, Brown said Dec. 3 that the national election was “fairly sobering.” He highlighted a sharp contrast between the state and U.S. elections. Most of the country is not aligned with the majority in Washington, a reality that he’s wrestling with.
Brown’s campaign website notes that he worked as a prosecutor after returning home from the Army. He then served as a general counsel to Gov. Jay Inslee. During that time, Brown “stood up to Donald Trump and his hateful Muslim ban,” the website states.
In 2021 Brown started a new role as U.S. attorney for Western Washington under President Joe Biden. He has prosecuted hate crimes and chaired the attorney general’s civil rights-focused advisory subcommittee.
Brown said in his keynote speech that some Washingtonians are “rightly” worried about their rights being trampled on by Trump’s administration. Examples include residents who are undocumented and those with concerns about environmental protections, transgender care and abortion access.
The attorney general-elect added that the next Trump presidency could inflict “unique and profound potential threats.”
Washington will be ready, he said.
“We will be watching,” Brown continued. “And we will be prepared to represent and defend Washingtonians moving forward. If we see situations where people are harmed or their rights violated, I will make sure that the team is ready to act if we have an avenue and opportunity to act.”
This story was originally published December 5, 2024 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Washington AG-elect Nick Brown fears next Trump term bringing ‘uniquely dangerous threats’."
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