Trump fires acting Attorney General over travel ban 'betrayal'
Donald Trump has fired the acting US Attorney General Sally Yates after she questioned whether his travel ban was "lawful".
The government's top lawyer had ordered Justice Department lawyers not to enforce the executive order which banned travellers from seven Muslim-majority nations.
The White House Press Secretary said on Twitter that Dana Boente, US attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia would be taking over the role.
The reaction comes after Ms Yates, who was appointed by former US President Barack Obama, sent a memo to Justice Department lawyers earlier in the day ordering them not to defend Trump's ban in court.
She had said she did not think the executive order was "consistent with this institution's solemn obligation to always seek justice and stand for what's right."
In a statement the White House said Sally Yates "has betrayed the Department of Justice by refusing to enforce a legal order designed to protect the citizens of the United States".
"Ms. Yates is an Obama Administration appointee who is weak on borders and very weak on illegal immigration", the White House added.
Trump's controversial executive order bans travellers from seven Muslim-majority countries for 90 days.
These countries are Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
The order also banned Syrian refugees indefinitely and prevents other refugees from entering the US for 120 days.
Protests have been sparked around the world after Mr Trump imposed the bans and over a million people have signed a petition calling for his state visit to the UK to be cancelled.
Boente was sworn in privately late Monday, the White House said.
He promptly ordered Justice Department lawyers to "do our sworn duty and to defend the lawful orders of our President."
Boente said Trump's executive order was "both lawful on its face and properly drafted."
Ms Yates' refusal to defend the executive order was largely symbolic given that Senator Jeff Sessions, Trump's pick for attorney general, will almost certainly defend the policy once he's sworn in.
He is expected to be confirmed on Tuesday by the Senate Judiciary Committee and could be approved within days by the full Senate.
Overnight protests against Trump's travel ban continued across the world including thousands who gathered at the steps of the US Supreme Court.
Democrats carried out a press conference to oppose President Trump's executive order.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi called Trump's actions "reckless and rash".
She added that to protect the Constitution and the people "we must be strong and smart".