Trump taps Fox News’ Judge Jeanine Pirro as interim U.S. attorney for D.C.

05/15/2025 / By Laura Harris

President Donald Trump selected Judge Jeanine Pirro, a former Westchester County District Attorney and Fox News legal commentator, as interim U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C., praising her as “incredibly well qualified” and a top prosecutor in New York history.
The D.C. U.S. attorney oversees high-profile federal and local cases, including violent crime and political corruption, potentially placing Pirro at the center of contentious legal battles amid Trump’s own legal challenges.
Known for her tough-on-crime stance, Pirro built her reputation prosecuting sex crimes and child exploitation cases. As a host, she became a vocal Trump ally and critic of progressive justice policies.
If the Senate does not confirm Pirro, a panel of D.C. federal judges, led by Chief Judge James Boasberg, would select a permanent replacement.
Trump withdrew Ed Martin’s nomination due to Senate opposition over his defense of Jan. 6 defendants but appointed him to lead the Department of Justice (DOJ) as the new Director of the Weaponization Working Group, Associate Deputy Attorney General and Pardon Attorney

President Donald Trump has selected Judge Jeanine Pirro, a prominent Fox News legal commentator and former Westchester County District Attorney, to serve as interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia.

The U.S. attorney for D.C., one of the most powerful prosecutorial roles in the nation, oversees both federal and local prosecutions in the capital. The office handles high-profile cases ranging from violent crime to political corruption – a role that could place Pirro at the center of contentious legal battles, particularly as Trump faces multiple legal challenges.

Pirro’s tough-on-crime rhetoric aligns with Trump’s pledge to crack down on violent crime in Washington, D.C.

During her tenure as a prosecutor, she gained a reputation for aggressive prosecutions, particularly in sex crimes and child exploitation cases. Later, as a Fox News host on “Justice with Judge Jeanine” and “The Five,” she became a vocal defender of Trump and a critic of progressive criminal justice policies.

Based on her achievements, Trump commended Pirro as “incredibly well qualified” and “one of the Top District Attorneys in the History of the State of New York.” He highlighted her trailblazing career, noting that she was the first woman elected as Westchester County District Attorney and a fierce advocate for crime victims, particularly in cases of domestic violence and child exploitation.

He then announced her appointment as interim U.S. attorney for the D.C.

“I am pleased to announce that Judge Jeanine Pirro will be appointed interim United States Attorney for the District of Columbia,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform on May 8. “Jeanine is incredibly well qualified for this position and is considered one of the Top District Attorneys in the History of the State of New York. She is in a class by herself. Congratulations Jeanine!” (Related: Trump nominates Kash Patel to lead the Federal Bureau of Investigation.)

However, if the Senate does not confirm her, the decision for a permanent replacement would fall to a panel of federal judges in D.C., led by Chief Judge James Boasberg.

Trump withdraws Ed Martin’s nomination in favor of Pirro

The appointment of Pirro came shortly after Trump withdrew the nomination of Ed Martin for the position due to mounting opposition in the Senate.

Martin, who had been serving in an acting capacity since January, faced resistance primarily from Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), who cited concerns over Martin’s legal defense of defendants charged in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol breach. Tillis argued that while he might have supported Martin for another district, he could not back him for the D.C. post given his advocacy for Jan. 6 defendants.

The senator acknowledged that Martin made a “good case” for certain defendants but maintained that “two or three hundred of them should have never gotten a pardon.” Tillis believed anyone who entered the Capitol that day should serve jail time.

Despite the withdrawal, Trump announced that Martin would take on several high-profile roles at the DOJ, including leading a new weaponization working group to investigate alleged political bias in law enforcement under the Biden administration.

“Ed Martin has done an AMAZING job as interim U.S. attorney and will be moving to the DOJ as the new director of the Weaponization Working Group, associate deputy attorney general and pardon attorney,” Trump wrote in another post on Truth Social. “In these highly important roles, Ed will make sure we finally investigate the weaponization of our government under the Biden regime, and provide much needed justice for its victims. Congratulations Ed!”

Head over to Trump.news for more stories about Trump’s cabinet and federal government endorsements.

Watch this clip about a GOP senator calling for anti-Trump DOJ staffers to be fired.

This video is from the NewsClip channel on Brighteon.com.