President Donald Trump announced Friday that Ed Martin, the U.S. pardon attorney at the Department of Justice, will leave his administration to focus on legal battles ahead of the 2026 midterm elections and the 2028 presidential election.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump praised Martin’s work in the administration, stating: “Ed Martin has been with me from the very beginning, and done an incredible job as an Attorney, Director of the Weaponization Working Group, and the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia.” Trump added that Martin would “ensure Free, Fair, and Honest Elections, and strongly advance our Constitutional Rights.”
Martin previously served as interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia from January to May 2025, a role he assumed without prior prosecutorial experience. His tenure was marked by the firing of over a dozen probationary federal prosecutors who had handled Jan. 6 investigations, as well as an internal review into the office’s handling of Capitol riot cases. The top criminal chief in his office resigned, alleging Martin had pressured her to launch a criminal investigation and freeze assets related to a case.
In May 2025, Trump withdrew Martin’s nomination for the permanent U.S. attorney position amid opposition from Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., who stated: “If Mr. Martin were being put forth as a U.S. attorney for any district except the district where Jan. 6 happened, the protest happened, I’d probably support him, but not in this district.” Martin was subsequently appointed associate deputy attorney general and pardon attorney, where he also directed the Justice Department’s Weaponization Working Group, tasked with investigating alleged misuse of federal agencies.
Attorney General Todd Blanche praised Martin in a post on X, calling him “a patriot who loves this nation” and expressing anticipation for his future work.
Martin is a longtime conservative activist and attorney known for his role in the “Stop the Steal” movement following the 2020 presidential election. He has represented Jan. 6 defendants and has been a vocal advocate for Trump’s claims of election fraud.
The announcement comes as Trump continues to emphasize election integrity as a central theme for his political agenda, with Martin’s departure aligning with efforts to challenge election-related legal disputes in the coming cycles.