Trump Taps Ed Martin for Pardon Attorney Role \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ President Trump has withdrawn Ed Martin Jr.’s nomination to serve as the top federal prosecutor in Washington, D.C., after bipartisan backlash. Martin will instead lead DOJ’s pardon efforts and a newly formed “weaponization” unit targeting perceived political bias.
Quick Looks
- Trump withdrew Ed Martin’s nomination as D.C.’s U.S. Attorney.
- Martin will now serve as pardon attorney and deputy at DOJ.
- He’ll lead investigations into alleged political bias at the agency.
- Martin drew criticism for his Jan. 6 support and lack of experience.
- Fox News host Jeanine Pirro appointed interim U.S. Attorney instead.
- Martin previously dismissed Jan. 6 charges following mass pardons.
- Critics include former prosecutors and a key GOP senator.
- Supporters include Elon Musk, Charlie Kirk, and Donald Trump Jr.
Deep Look
Facing a wall of bipartisan resistance, President Donald Trump on Thursday withdrew his controversial nomination of Ed Martin Jr. to serve as the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, one of the nation’s most powerful prosecutorial posts. Instead, Trump announced that Martin will be moved into a new dual-role within the Department of Justice: as associate deputy attorney general and pardon attorney, with a focus on addressing what the administration describes as the “weaponization of government.”
Martin’s reassignment reflects the latest twist in Trump’s second-term efforts to reshape the Justice Department into a tool of political and ideological oversight, particularly as it relates to investigations that originated under former President Joe Biden’s administration.
Martin Pulled After Bipartisan Blowback
The decision to pull Martin’s nomination came just two days after Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, publicly stated he would not support the nomination, citing Martin’s longstanding defense of those who stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021. Tillis’s statement triggered a likely chain reaction among Senate Republicans, who appeared unwilling to back a nominee with such overt ties to the “Stop the Steal” movement.
Martin’s controversial background — which includes no prosecutorial experience — had drawn fierce opposition. Over 100 former prosecutors from the D.C. office signed a letter labeling him “an affront to the singular pursuit of justice.”
Martin’s public and legal support for multiple Jan. 6 defendants, his involvement with the Patriot Freedom Project, and his dismissive remarks about DOJ’s own legal strategies further fueled doubts about his fitness for the role.
Reassigned, Not Removed: Martin’s New Power Base
Despite the setback, Trump made it clear that Martin remains central to his Justice Department vision. In a post on Truth Social, Trump announced that Martin will now serve as director of the Justice Department’s new “weaponization working group” — an internal investigative body created in February to examine perceived anti-conservative bias within the federal bureaucracy.
The group’s focus will include the actions of former special counsel Jack Smith, who led two major federal prosecutions against Trump that were later dismissed.
“In these highly important roles,” Trump wrote, “Ed will make sure we finally investigate the Weaponization of our Government under the Biden Regime, and provide much needed Justice for its victims.”
As pardon attorney, Martin will also oversee recommendations for pardons and commutations, especially regarding individuals connected to the January 6 riots. Trump has already issued sweeping clemency for many charged in the incident and vowed to “dismiss all related cases.”
A Nominee Without Legal Standing
Martin, who previously chaired the Missouri Republican Party and led Phyllis Schlafly’s Eagle Forum, had no experience as a prosecutor or trial lawyer before being appointed acting U.S. Attorney in January. His legal résumé includes law practice in Missouri and co-authoring a book with Schlafly, a key figure in Trump’s conservative movement.
The nomination quickly fell apart under scrutiny:
- Martin failed to disclose over 150 appearances on Russian state media outlets RT and Sputnik, later correcting the omission in a follow-up letter to the Judiciary Committee.
- He faced criticism for publicly praising Timothy Hale-Cusanelli, a Jan. 6 defendant known for white supremacist views and antisemitic rhetoric. Martin later claimed he was unaware of the remarks when honoring him at a Trump property in New Jersey.
Martin’s defenders, including Elon Musk, Charlie Kirk, and Donald Trump Jr., touted his conservative credentials and criticized the legal establishment’s resistance to his nomination.
But opponents from both parties found little comfort in his background. During his brief tenure, Martin fired or demoted key DOJ staff, pressured prosecutors to abandon sensitive cases, and launched an internal probe into how felony charges were used against Jan. 6 defendants.
Pirro Steps In as Interim Prosecutor
Following Martin’s withdrawal, Trump named Fox News host Jeanine Pirro — a former Westchester County judge and district attorney — as interim U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C. While Pirro also carries political baggage and media notoriety, she has considerably more courtroom experience than Martin.
Trump dismissed the backlash surrounding Martin, telling reporters, “He’s a terrific person, but he wasn’t getting the support I thought he would. I can only lift that phone so many times in a day.”
Martin, unfazed, posted a meme of himself in papal robes with the caption “Plot twist,” jokingly referencing both the DOJ shakeup and the unexpected announcement of Pope Leo XIV the same day.
Trump Taps Ed Trump Taps Ed
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