Jay R. Combs has been appointed as the interim United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas, effective November 19, 2025. The appointment was made by the Attorney General.
Combs expressed his gratitude for the opportunity, stating, “I am thankful to President Trump and Attorney General Bondi for the opportunity they have given me to continue my service to the American people. It is both a tremendous responsibility and a great privilege. The office I lead is at the forefront in the mission of pursuing justice and protecting our communities and our country as a part of Operation Take Back America.”
Operation Take Back America is described as a nationwide initiative led by the Department of Justice. Its goals include addressing illegal immigration, dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and combating violent crime.
Combs has served as Acting U.S. Attorney since May 24, 2025. In this role, he acts as the chief federal law enforcement official for an area that covers 43 counties from the Oklahoma border to the Gulf of Mexico. The district operates six fully staffed offices located in Beaumont, Lufkin, Plano, Sherman, Texarkana, and Tyler with a total staff of 93 employees, including 50 prosecutors. Combs oversees federal criminal prosecutions and represents the United States in civil litigation within the district.
Before becoming Acting U.S. Attorney, Combs led the Plano Branch Office for the Eastern District of Texas and previously worked as an Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) in both the Western and Eastern Districts of Texas.
Combs’s background also includes military service; he completed two combat tours with the United States Army and received several awards such as the Bronze Star medal.
He has lived in Texas for more than twenty years but originally comes from Springerville, Arizona. Combs holds a bachelor’s degree from Northern Arizona University and a law degree from the University of New Mexico. He has been married to his wife Melissa for thirty years; together they have seven children.
