[1][2] In 1999, Hunt joined the United States Department of Justice Civil Division's Federal Programs branch, where he was a trial attorney until 2002.

After Jeff Sessions became United States Attorney General in February 2017, Hunt served as his chief of staff until October of that year.

[1][2] On September 14, 2017, President Donald Trump announced his intent to nominate Hunt to become the United States Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division.

[3] The nomination was not acted upon, so on January 3, 2018, it was returned to the President under Rule XXXI, Paragraph 6 of the United States Senate.

He oversaw the legal defense of Trump administration policies, as well as the general refusal to respond to Congressional oversight authority.