Trump names Fox News host Jeanine Pirro acting U.S. Attorney in Washington, raising political intrigue and legal controversy.
Trump Nominates Fox News Host Jeanine Pirro as Acting U.S. Attorney in Washington
Ex-President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that he will appoint Jeanine Pirro, the sharp-tongued Fox News pundit and former district attorney, as interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. The move came just hours after his original nominee, Ed Martin, was forced to step down under pressure from Senate Republicans.
Pirro, 73, is a close Trump supporter who has publicly defended him during periods of legal and political turmoil—including his unfounded claims about the 2020 election. Her appointment would put a partisan figure in charge of one of the most powerful federal prosecutorial offices in the nation.
Legal Obstacles and Potential Litigation
Trump’s decision is already being questioned in the legal community. The federal law governing temporary appointments includes 120-day limits on temporary appointment, which may negate this appointment.
Attorneys say Pirro’s appointment may be invalidated by a court, especially if she is dealing with criminal prosecutions during her term.
A similar situation occurred during Trump’s first term, when rulings by Homeland Security were invalidated, because a temporary appointment was made by unauthorized officials, leading to fears of Pirro’s situation turning out the same way.
Pirro’s Fox News Legacy and Loyalty to Trump
Pirro has long been one of Trump’s most vociferous defenders, due to her brash style and her standing daily position on Fox News’s “The Five,” and even putting her career on the line by backing 2020 election conspiracy theories.
Her name has been linked to Dominion Voting Systems defamation lawsuits, which cost Fox News hundreds of millions in settlements.
Leaving a high-paying media position to serve in public office demonstrates Pirro’s personal loyalty to Trump, who previously commuted the sentence of her ex-husband, Albert Pirro, during his final hours in office.
Trump’s Broader Strategy: Staying One Step Ahead of the Senate
Trump’s strategy might be to circumvent Senate confirmation by rotating the interim appointments every 119 days, essentially resetting the clock.
If the courts permit this to happen, the precedent would erode established limits on executive power by creating a revolving door of Trumpian prosecutors.
Who Is Jeanine Pirro?
Jeanine Pirro is a former judge and three-term District Attorney for Westchester County, New York. She joined Fox News in 2006 and became a co-host of “The Five.”
A pioneer in domestic violence prosecution, Pirro helped launch one of the nation’s first such units after graduating from Albany Law School in 1975.
In 2006, she ran unsuccessfully for New York Attorney General. Her media work has drawn legal controversy, including her role as a defendant in Smartmatic’s $2.7 billion defamation lawsuit related to false 2020 election claims.
Pirro’s nomination follows a pattern of Trump appointing Fox News talent to government positions, similar to Pete Hegseth during his first term.
What’s Next?
Trump announced that Ed Martin, the previous nominee, will be reassigned to other roles in the Justice Department, potentially as deputy attorney general or pardon attorney.
The appointment of Pirro is expected to take effect September 29, and she is likely to exit Fox News immediately, ending a 14-year run as one of its most visible conservative voices.
This move is a victory for Trump’s base, but sets the stage for intense legal scrutiny and accusations of politicizing federal law enforcement.
