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By Peter Aitken
Politics Weekend Editor
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President Donald Trump has indicated he will rescind the nomination to make Ed Martin the permanent U.S. Prosecutor for the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., after a Senate Republican made clear he would not support him.
Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said Tuesday he would not support Martin's nomination, which made it unlikely he would gather enough votes to advance.
Trump addressed the matter with reporters on Thursday in the Oval Office, saying: "To me it was disappointing. I'll be honest, I have to be straight. I was disappointed, a lot of people were disappointed, but that's the way it works sometimes."
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Why It Matters
Trump has been relatively successful when it comes to his nominations for cabinet members through to more junior positions since his return to the White House, but Martin's representation of January 6 defendants prompted resistance from within his own party.
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What To Know
During a press conference on the new U.S. trade deal with the United Kingdom, Trump was asked about Senator Tillis' reluctance to approve Martin as the next top prosecutor in Washington, D.C.
Tillis said earlier this week that those who took part in the January 6 riot "made a stupid decision" and "disgraced the United States". While he agreed with Martin in one area, that some people were likely "over prosecuted", Tillis felt between two and three hundred should not have been pardoned by the president.
The senator voiced his concerns about Martin's nomination last week, joining some Democratic Party colleagues on the Senate Judiciary Committee who felt Martin had dodged dozens of their questions or given false answers.
Faced with the likelihood of a committee denial, the president said he would pull Martin's nomination, adding that the White House would announce someone else instead for the role.
Trump said Martin was "a terrific person" who had helped to bring down crime rates in D.C., but that he could only do so much to try and secure the role for him.
The president added the administration would look to see if they can "bring him [Martin] in too, whether it's DOJ or whatever, in some capacity."
What People Are Saying
President Trump, speaking to reporters: "He wasn't rejected, but we felt it would be very – it would be hard. And we have somebody else that we'll be announcing over the next two days, who's going to be great."
Senator Tillis, speaking to reporters Tuesday: "I've indicated to the White House I wouldn't support his nomination. If Mr. Martin were being put forth as a U.S. attorney for any district except the district where January 6 happened, the protest happened, I'd probably support him. But not in this district."
Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, on X (formerly Twitter) Tuesday: "Tillis' logic is absurd. He ignores or forgets that many J6ers who entered the Capitol were waved in by Capitol Police. Many simply looked inside the building or took a selfie and left. Those people did NOT deserve to spend a day in prison."
What's Next
Trump promised a new nominee for the U.S. Attorney role in D.C. would be announced soon.
Update 05/08/25 1:48 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
Correction 5/10/25, 2:19 p.m. ET: This article has been updated to state that Tillis is a senator from North Carolina instead of South Carolina.
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