President Donald Trump is strongly considering appointing Fox News host and former prosecutor Jeanine Pirro as interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, according to sources familiar with the matter who spoke to ABC News. This potential selection comes after Trump indicated that Ed Martin, D.C.’s current interim top prosecutor, would not be appointed permanently due to losing support among key Senate Republicans. An announcement regarding the new interim U.S. attorney could be made as early as Thursday, although sources caution that plans are subject to change and the decision is not final until publicly confirmed by the president.
The White House and Fox News did not immediately respond to requests for comment from ABC News. Pirro, a longtime supporter of Trump dating back to her days as a prominent prosecutor in New York, has been vocal in her backing of the former president, including during his 2016 campaign and amidst controversies such as the “Access Hollywood” tape scandal.
Following Trump’s defeat in the 2020 election, Pirro promoted unfounded claims of election fraud related to voting machines. She was also involved in the Dominion Voting Systems defamation lawsuit along with other Fox News employees, with the network ultimately settling for $787.5 million and acknowledging the falsity of the claims. In 2019, Pirro was reportedly suspended by Fox News for questioning the loyalty of Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar based on her Muslim faith.
Ed Martin, who has been acting as the interim U.S. attorney in D.C. since the beginning of the administration, is set to see his interim term expire on May 20. An ardent supporter of Trump’s “Stop the Steal” campaign, Martin was present on the Capitol grounds during the January 6 attack. Trump mentioned on Thursday that Martin could potentially be appointed to another role within the Department of Justice.
One of Trump’s final acts before exiting office in 2021 was granting a last-minute pardon to Jeanine Pirro’s ex-husband, Albert Pirro, a prominent GOP donor who had been convicted on multiple charges related to tax evasion over two decades ago.
