In a dramatic personnel shakeup, President Donald Trump has named longtime ally and Fox News host Jeanine Pirro as interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, replacing embattled nominee Ed Martin, whose Senate confirmation was collapsing under bipartisan pressure.
Announcing the move Thursday on Truth Social, Trump praised Pirro as a “powerful crusader for victims of crime,” touting her prior tenure as a prosecutor and her decade-long run hosting Justice with Judge Jeanine on Fox News.
“She excelled in all ways,” Trump said, calling her television career “one of the highest rated in history.”
Pirro will leave her post as co-host of The Five, effective immediately, Fox News confirmed.
Breaking the news on-air, anchor Bret Baier said, “We obviously wish her well.” ABC News was the first to report that Pirro was being seriously considered for the job.
Her appointment drew swift praise from Republican Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina, who earlier this week torpedoed Martin’s nomination over concerns tied to Martin’s past comments about the January 6 Capitol riot.
“She is a great choice,” Tillis posted on X.
Jeanine Pirro has had a long and storied career as a prosecutor and she is a great choice by @POTUS to serve as U.S. Attorney for DC!
— Senator Thom Tillis (@SenThomTillis) May 8, 2025
Pirro’s selection also marks the return of a Trump loyalist to a powerful post in the federal justice system.
A fixture at Mar-a-Lago and a vocal defender of Trump throughout his presidency, Pirro has used her platforms to promote Trump’s agenda and discredit his critics.
She was also named in Dominion Voting Systems’ defamation lawsuit, which Fox settled for $787 million in 2023.
Martin, Trump’s initial nominee, will instead head to the Justice Department as director of the Weaponization Working Group and will also serve as associate deputy attorney general and pardon attorney.
Trump said Martin will investigate “the Weaponization of our Government under the Biden Regime.”
Martin’s nomination had hit repeated snags, including undisclosed appearances on far-right and Russian-state media, controversial praise of a Capitol rioter, and reported retaliation against career prosecutors overseeing January 6 cases.
Senator Lindsey Graham called Trump’s withdrawal of Martin “probably a good decision,” teasing Pirro’s appointment by telling reporters, “Stay tuned. It’s going to be big.”
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