United States Attorney General Eric Holder will be announcing his resignation in a few hours at the White House, a source at the Justice Department has said.

A source interviewed by National Public Radio said the the White House has scheduled a "personnel announcement" for 4:30 p.m. EDT.

Like Us on Facebook

The source also says Holder intends to leave as soon as a successor is confirmed by the Senate, a process that could run even through next year. The Justice Department source spoke on condition of anonymity to allow Holder to make the formal announcement.

Holder had on multiple occasions discussed his plans of resigning with President Barack Obama during the past several months, but had reportedly made the final decision in an hour-long conversation with Obama at the White House during the Labor Day weekend.

He told his staff at the Justice Department about his plans Thursday morning. Holder had also called Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., and Ethel Kennedy, the widow of former AG Robert F. Kennedy, and told them about his plans, according to the source.

Holder, 63, has been serving the Obama administration for five and ½ years, and has been on the job as the nation's top law enforcement official longer than all but three of his predecessors.

He is the U.S.'s first African-American attorney general.

TagsEric Holder, Justice Department, African American, Attorney General