Trump names new pick for top D.C. prosecutor

President Donald Trump on Thursday said he appointed Jeanine Pirro as the new interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia. Pirro is co-host of the Fox News show The Five and previously served as an elected county judge and district attorney in Westchester County, N.Y. Pirro recently wrote a book, Crimes Against America, which criticized the Biden administration’s policies.

Who was Trump’s first pick before he pivoted to Pirro? The president previously tapped Ed Martin for the job, appointing him interim U.S. attorney for D.C. in January. But Martin failed to get traction with some Senate Republicans for confirmation despite Trump’s urging. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., in particular opposed Martin due to Martin’s advocacy for Jan. 6 rioters.

What did Tillis say about Pirro? On Thursday, the senator said in a social media post that Pirro was a great choice for the position, given her long prosecutorial career.

What’s next for Martin? Martin will take up several roles in the Department of Justice—director of the Weaponization Working Group, associate deputy attorney general, and pardon attorney. Martin will focus on investigating the Biden administration’s weaponization of the government against American citizens, Trump said Thursday.

Dig deeper: Read Carolina Lumetta’s exclusive report on why Trump withdrew Martin’s nomination.