President Trump withdraws controversial U.S. Attorney nominee Ed Martin amid Senate Republican opposition, appointing Fox News host Jeanine Pirro as replacement while creating new Justice Department roles for Martin.
Quick Takes
- Trump withdrew Ed Martin’s nomination for U.S. Attorney for Washington D.C. after failing to secure enough Republican Senate support.
- Senator Thom Tillis and other Republicans opposed Martin due to his connections to January 6 investigations and controversial actions.
- Fox News host Jeanine Pirro has been named as the new nominee for the position.
- Martin will remain in the Justice Department in roles that don’t require Senate confirmation, including heading a “Weaponization Working Group.”
- The situation highlights growing divisions within the Republican party over Trump appointees.
Senate Republicans Block Trump’s Controversial Nominee
President Trump has withdrawn his nomination of Ed Martin as U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia following opposition from key Senate Republicans. Martin, who had been serving as interim U.S. attorney, faced growing resistance that made his confirmation increasingly unlikely. Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina became the first Republican to publicly oppose Martin’s nomination, creating a significant roadblock in the closely divided Senate. Senate Majority Leader John Thune had indicated that Martin’s nomination likely wouldn’t advance through the Senate Judiciary Committee, further complicating his path to confirmation.
Trump expressed disappointment about the situation but moved quickly to replace Martin. “I was disappointed. A lot of people were disappointed, but that’s the way it works sometimes. He wasn’t rejected, but we felt it would be very, it would be hard. And we have somebody else that we’ll be announcing over the next two days who’s going to be great,” Trump said shortly before announcing Jeanine Pirro as the new nominee.
🚨 JUST IN — President Trump announces he has pulled the nomination of Ed Martin for U.S. Attorney for DC after receiving backlash from weak GOP Senators:
“I was disappointed, but we have somebody else that will be great.”pic.twitter.com/F1xVQTjFef
— Proud Elephant 🇺🇸🦅 (@ProudElephantUS) May 8, 2025
January 6 Connections Derail Martin’s Chances
Senator Tillis explicitly cited Martin’s connection to the January 6 Capitol riot investigations as the primary reason for his opposition. “If Mr. Martin were being put forth as a U.S. attorney for any district except the district where Jan. 6 happened, the protests happened, I’d probably support him,” Tillis explained. Martin, a “Stop the Steal” activist, had initiated a controversial purge of prosecutors working on January 6 Capitol riot cases during his brief tenure as interim U.S. attorney, raising concerns about political interference in ongoing investigations.
Further complicating Martin’s nomination was his association with far-right figures and controversial actions, including threatening investigations against Democrats and bypassing normal procedures within the office. His association with Timothy Hale-Cusanelli, a January 6 defendant with extremist views, created additional concerns among senators who might have otherwise supported the nomination. These issues reportedly led to a significant decline in morale within the U.S. attorney’s office during his interim leadership.
Fox News Host Pirro Named as Replacement
Moving quickly to fill the position, Trump named Fox News host Jeanine Pirro as his new nominee for U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. Pirro, a former prosecutor and state judge in New York, has been a loyal Trump supporter and is known for her tough-on-crime stance during her television career. Trump praised Pirro’s qualifications in announcing her nomination, highlighting her past legal experience rather than her media career.
Despite the setback on Martin’s nomination, Trump has announced plans to keep him at the Justice Department in roles that don’t require Senate confirmation. Martin will serve as associate deputy attorney general and pardon attorney, as well as director of the Justice Department’s newly created “Weaponization Working Group.” This move allows Martin to maintain influence within the administration while sidestepping the Senate confirmation process that proved problematic. The U.S. Attorney’s office in Washington D.C. remains a significant federal law enforcement position, overseeing both local prosecutions in the capital and many federal cases of national importance.
Sources:
Trump replaces controversial U.S. attorney pick Ed Martin: “Disappointing”
Trump names Fox’s Pirro as interim U.S. Attorney for D.C. after dropping earlier pick
Trump Withdraws U.S. Attorney Nominee, Whose Extremism Tested Limits for G.O.P. Senators
