US President George W. Bush only reluctantly accepted the resignation of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, a White House official said Monday.
"The attorney general seriously considered this over the congressional recess and offered his resignation on Friday," a senior official told AFP, asking to remain anonymous.
"The president reluctantly accepted his offer," the official said.
The US Solicitor General Paul Clement will serve as acting attorney general until a replacement is confirmed by the US Senate.
CNN reported that Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff would be named as Gonzales's successor.
Gonzales has been under fire for his role in the treatment of "war on terror" detainees, domestic surveillance, and has been accused of lying to lawmakers over the sackings of federal prosecutors last year.
