Trump Drops Ed Martin Nomination, Teases Strong New Pick for D.C. U.S. Attorney

President Trump is keeping his eye on the big picture and refusing to let political infighting distract from putting the right people in key positions.

On Thursday, Trump officially withdrew the nomination of Ed Martin to serve as U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, after it became clear that Martin wouldn’t get enough support in the Senate Judiciary Committee due to GOP infighting over January 6.

• “He is a terrific person,” Trump said from the Oval Office. “Hopefully we can bring him into, whether it’s DOJ or whatever, in some capacity because he’s really outstanding.”

Trump made clear that this wasn’t a rejection of Martin, but a strategic shift to ensure the D.C. post is filled with someone who can move forward without getting bogged down in committee politics.

So what happened?

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) opposed Martin’s nomination, citing disagreements over Martin’s stance on January 6. Though Trump never wavered in his support for Martin, Tillis’ role on the Judiciary Committee made it nearly impossible to move the nomination out of committee without full GOP backing.

• “I have no tolerance for anybody that entered the building on Jan. 6,” Tillis said, revealing the rift. “That’s probably where most of the friction was.”

Let’s be real “this was less about qualifications and more about old-guard Republicans clinging to Democrat narratives” about January 6. Trump loyalists, especially those willing to question the DOJ’s political prosecutions of protestors, are still blacklisted by the establishment.

But rather than waste time fighting a deadlocked committee, Trump is already moving forward.

• “We have somebody else that we’ll be announcing over the next two days who’s going to be great,” Trump said confidently.

Some reports suggest that SEC Chairman Jay Clayton is being floated as an alternative nominee, though Trump hasn’t confirmed whether he’ll take that recommendation. Clayton has a strong record as a no-nonsense, results-driven executive exactly what the D.C. swamp fears.

Ed Martin, for his part, has been serving as acting U.S. Attorney for D.C, and his term is set to expire on May 20. Despite the pushback, Trump made it clear that Martin remains in high regard and could serve in another critical role at DOJ or elsewhere.

Let’s not forget, the U.S. Attorney for D.C. is one of the most powerful law enforcement positions in the country, with authority over federal prosecutions in the capital including cases involving political corruption, election integrity, and civil unrest.

President Trump isn’t going to waste that post on someone the establishment is comfortable with he’s going to appoint a fighter.

Martin may not be the one this time, but Trump’s next pick will be someone who stands for justice, not politics. And the D.C. power structure is already nervous.

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