Trump Taps Ed Martin for Key DOJ Roles After Senate Roadblock on U.S. Attorney Nomination

President Donald Trump is keeping Ed Martin in a prominent position within his administration despite opposition from establishment Republicans in the Senate. After withdrawing Martin’s nomination to serve as U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, President Trump has appointed him to two high-profile posts at the Department of Justice.

On Thursday evening, the President announced via Truth Social that Martin will lead the new Weaponization Working Group and also serve as the U.S. Pardon Attorney, operating under the Office of the Deputy Attorney General, according to The Hill.

“Ed Martin has done an AMAZING job as interim U.S. Attorney, and will be moving to the Department of Justice as the new Director of the Weaponization Working Group, Associate Deputy Attorney General, and Pardon Attorney. 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!” President Trump wrote.

In Martin’s place, the President named Judge Jeanine Pirro—former prosecutor and beloved Fox News host—as interim U.S. 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,” Trump said. “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!”

Fox News quickly issued a statement wishing Pirro well.

“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 network spokesperson said.

Martin’s original nomination to the D.C. post faltered after Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) publicly opposed his confirmation, citing concerns over Martin’s views on the harsh prosecution of January 6 protesters. Other moderate GOP senators signaled similar hesitations, causing the Trump administration to withdraw the nomination and redirect Martin’s talents to internal DOJ initiatives.

“At this point, I’ve indicated to the White House I wouldn’t support his nomination,” Sen. Tillis told CNN’s Manu Raju earlier this week.

“Most of my concerns relate to Jan. 6,” Tillis said. “I think that anybody that 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.”

Tillis acknowledged that Martin had expressed concern over excessive sentences handed down by Biden-era prosecutors to Americans who entered the Capitol on January 6, 2021—many of whom received years-long prison terms for non-violent offenses.

“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,” the senator added.

The appointment of Martin to helm the Weaponization Working Group signals that the Trump administration is serious about investigating abuses of power under the Biden regime. From FBI targeting of parents and pro-life activists to the use of intelligence agencies to suppress political speech, the group will reportedly focus on restoring constitutional protections and holding bad actors accountable.

In parallel, Martin’s new role as Pardon Attorney places him at the center of an effort to correct the record and offer relief to Americans who were unjustly prosecuted in recent years.

President Trump’s reshuffling of DOJ leadership shows that while Senate roadblocks may slow nominations, they won’t stop his administration from pursuing justice and reversing the damage done by political lawfare.