Wafric News – May 6, 2025

The nomination of Ed Martin, President Donald Trump’s choice for U.S. Attorney in Washington, D.C., is facing serious headwinds as Republican resistance grows on Capitol Hill—jeopardizing the chances of his confirmation ahead of a looming deadline.

Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina, a crucial Republican swing vote and member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, informed the White House on Monday that he will not back Martin’s nomination. The development is a significant blow, given the narrow margins on the committee, and could be enough to block Martin from moving forward.

Despite the growing opposition, the Trump administration is doubling down. The president is personally lobbying senators to support Martin, with the White House insisting it stands by the nominee.

“If this nomination fails, it would mark a rare and public break between President Trump and key Senate Republicans—especially over a position as prominent as the top federal prosecutor in the nation’s capital,” a senior official told WafricNews on background.

Tillis’ concerns reportedly center on Martin’s past remarks criticizing officers who defended the Capitol during the January 6 insurrection, as well as his approach to prosecuting rioters. “I think anybody that breached the perimeter should have been in prison for some period of time,” Tillis said Tuesday, adding that Martin’s record didn’t reflect that standard.

Adding to the challenge, Martin has not been scheduled for a Senate Judiciary Committee vote this week. With his interim role set to expire May 20, the lack of action puts his confirmation at risk of stalling out entirely.

Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley declined to confirm whether Martin had enough support to make it through the panel. “I put people on the agenda when I can help the president’s nominees be successful,” he said.

Other Republicans on the committee—including Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn—have reportedly expressed private concerns about the nomination. However, Cornyn said publicly he would support Martin if it came to a vote, citing the president’s electoral mandate.

Yet, after learning of Tillis’ stance, Senate Majority Leader John Thune indicated the nomination may already be on life support. “That would suggest that he’s not probably going to get out of committee,” Thune told reporters.

Behind the scenes, sources say the White House is working urgently to salvage the nomination. Legislative advisors are exploring options, and Trump continues to call senators directly in an attempt to shore up support.

“Ed Martin is a fantastic U.S. Attorney for D.C. and will continue to implement the President’s law-and-order agenda in Washington,” said White House spokesperson Alex Pfeiffer in a statement to WafricNews. “He is the right man for the job and we look forward to his confirmation.”

Martin’s nomination has been rocky from the start. Since being formally put forward in March, he has amended his congressional disclosures multiple times to include unreported appearances on far-right and Russian state media. He’s also faced backlash for praising a Capitol rioter with known extremist affiliations, and struggled to recall some of his more inflammatory statements under oath.

In his interim role, Martin has also drawn criticism for referring to the D.C. U.S. Attorney’s Office as “President Trumps’ [sic] lawyers” and for sidelining senior prosecutors handling January 6 cases.

With just weeks left before his temporary term expires, the coming days may determine whether Martin becomes the face of federal prosecutions in the nation’s capital—or another failed Trump nominee.


By WafricNews Desk.