President Donald Trump has named Fox News host and former prosecutor Jeanine Pirro as the interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, replacing Ed Martin, whose interim term expires on May 20.
The announcement was made Thursday on Trump’s Truth Social platform, following his statement in the Oval Office that Martin would not be nominated permanently due to waning support from top Senate Republicans.
Pirro, a longtime Trump ally, previously served as a prosecutor in New York and has remained a vocal supporter of the former president. She backed Trump during the 2016 campaign and defended him during the “Access Hollywood” scandal. After the 2020 election, Pirro amplified baseless claims of voter fraud, which later became part of the Dominion Voting Systems defamation lawsuit against Fox News. The network ultimately settled for $787.5 million and acknowledged that the allegations were false.
Pirro was also temporarily suspended from Fox News in 2019 after making controversial comments about Rep. Ilhan Omar’s loyalty to the U.S., referencing her Muslim faith.
Trump’s pick comes after his initial candidate, Ed Martin—who had ties to the “Stop the Steal” movement and was present during the January 6 Capitol riot—lost favor among Senate Republicans. Trump said Martin may still serve in another role within the Justice Department.
This appointment also marks a continued connection between Trump and Pirro, as one of his final acts before leaving office in 2021 was granting a pardon to Pirro’s ex-husband, Albert Pirro, who had been convicted of tax fraud in the early 2000s.
The White House and Fox News did not immediately respond to requests for comment.