Racing to beat a judicial adversary, President Donald Trump on Thursday pulled the nomination of Ed Martin for a U.S. attorney position in the District of Columbia.
The second-term Republican president named Martin to the position on an interim basis in January, and the clock is ticking toward his May 20 final day. Should the Senate not have a successor confirmed, Chief Justice James Boasberg – notable for presiding in deportation and Signal app cases of late – would be able to choose.
Martin’s candidacy died in the Judiciary Committee at the hands of U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C. The senior senator from the Tarheel State said he could not support him because of Martin’s stance about the events of Jan. 6, 2021, at the Capitol.
“I have to be straight,” Trump said Thursday. “I was disappointed.”
The Judiciary is 12-10 Republican majority and candidates cannot advance with an 11-11 deadlock. No Democrats were for him, and only Tillis among Republicans was against.
Tillis’ seat is on the November 2026 ballot. On the night Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth gained Senate confirmation via Vice President J.D. Vance’s vote, Tillis was the last Republican to join in favor.
Trump said he would have a new prosecutor pick in two days “who’s going to be great.”
