Judge Jeanine Pirro’s First Move as Interim U.S. Attorney Stuns Washington
President Donald Trump has once again shaken up Washington with a bold appointment that’s drawing intense reactions from Democrats and media insiders alike. On Thursday, the President named Judge Jeanine Pirro, a longtime ally and respected legal voice, as the interim United States Attorney for the District of Columbia.
“I am pleased to announce that Judge Jeanine Pirro will be appointed interim United States Attorney for the District of Columbia,” the president declared on Truth Social. “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!”
Pirro, who has spent the last several years as a co-host on Fox News’ popular program The Five, brings decades of prosecutorial experience and unapologetic defense of law and order to her new role. Fox News offered their praise as well, acknowledging her contributions to the network.
“Jeanine Pirro has been a wonderful addition to The Five over the last three years and a longtime beloved host across FOX News Media who contributed greatly to our success throughout her 14-year tenure. We wish her all the best in her new role in Washington,” a spokesperson for Fox stated.
The move follows the collapse of Ed Martin’s nomination for the same post, after Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) announced his opposition—effectively killing Martin’s chances.
“At this point, I’ve indicated to the White House I wouldn’t support his nomination,” Tillis told CNN’s Manu Raju. The senator clarified his decision was driven by Martin’s stance on the January 6th events. “Most of my concerns relate to Jan. 6. I think that anybody who breached the perimeter should have been imprisoned for some period of time, whether it’s 30 days or three years is debatable but I have no tolerance for anybody who entered the building on Jan. 6, and that’s probably where most of the friction was.”
Martin had suggested some of those charged in connection to the protests at the Capitol may have been over-prosecuted—an opinion that apparently ran afoul of Tillis' expectations.
“Mr. Martin did a good job of explaining the one area that I think he’s probably right, that there were some people that were over-prosecuted, but there were some, 200 or 300 of them that should have never gotten a pardon,” Tillis said. “If Mr. Martin were being put forth as a U.S. attorney for any district except the district where Jan. 6 happened, the protest happened, I’d probably support him, but not in this district.”
With Republicans holding a slim 12-10 edge on the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Democrats uniformly opposing Martin’s confirmation, the nomination stalled at an 11–11 deadlock. Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) confirmed the outcome.
“The decision was made last night not to move forward with the [background investigation],” Durbin revealed. “In strict legal terms, he’s still interim [U.S. attorney] until the end of May, the 20th or 21st, and the district court judge then has the option to fill the interim vacancy when he’s finished.”
Durbin admitted, “The writing’s on the wall, he has some problems in his own ranks.”
President Trump remained firm in his support for Martin, emphasizing the importance of his appointment to broader efforts to restore integrity and health to the nation.
“According to many but in particular, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., his approval is IMPERATIVE in terms of doing all that has to be done to SAVE LIVES and to MAKE AMERICA HEALTHY AGAIN. This is a passion for Ed, more so than for almost anyone that I have seen,” the president posted on Truth Social.
“We are going to take our Country BACK and FAST. Ed Martin will be a big player in doing so and, I hope, that the Republican Senators will make a commitment to his approval,” Trump added.
With Judge Pirro now stepping into the role, her reputation for tough prosecution and fierce independence signals that the District of Columbia’s justice system is about to undergo a significant transformation—one that Washington’s entrenched bureaucracy may not be prepared for.