Trump Drops Ed Martin's U.S. Attorney Nomination, Taps Fox News Host Jeanine Pirro for D.C. Role

President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he would not move forward with Ed Martin as the permanent U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, citing insufficient Senate support for his confirmation. Shortly after the announcement, Trump named Fox News host Jeanine Pirro as his choice for the position. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump acknowledged the setback but expressed optimism about the new direction. 'I was disappointed. A lot of people were disappointed, but that's the way it works sometimes,' he said, adding that Martin's path to confirmation would have been extremely difficult. The nomination faltered after Senator Thom Tillis, a Republican from North Carolina, publicly declared he would not vote to advance Martin's candidacy out of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota subsequently acknowledged that Tillis's opposition effectively blocked Martin's chances of advancing further. Tillis cited concerns directly tied to the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, noting he has 'no tolerance for anybody who entered the building on Jan. 6.' Martin, known for his involvement in the 'Stop the Steal' movement following the 2020 election, had been serving in the role on an interim basis, with that appointment set to expire on May 20. During his tenure, he oversaw the removal of prosecutors who had worked on cases arising from the Capitol attack. Trump confirmed that Martin will remain within the Justice Department, taking on the roles of associate deputy attorney general and pardon attorney — a position that advises the president on clemency decisions. Martin will also lead the department's newly formed 'Weaponization Working Group,' tasked with reviewing prosecutorial activities from the Biden administration era.