Controversial pro-Trump attorney Ed Martin leaving administration

Ed Martin, the pro-Trump lawyer who has been embroiled in multiple controversies during his tenure at the Justice Department, is leaving the Trump administration, President Trump announced on Friday afternoon via a post on Truth Social. Martin previously held the position of interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, a role marked by turmoil.

He later took on the role of head of the Weaponization Working Group under then-Attorney General Pam Bondi and served as a pardon attorney, an advisory position responsible for reviewing clemency applications and making recommendations. Initially, Trump chose Martin to be the top federal prosecutor in D.C., but he failed to secure enough Senate support for permanent confirmation, primarily due to his advocacy for rioters involved in the U.S. Capitol attack on January 6, 2021.

Trump praised Martin's work, stating he is departing to fight legal battles for upcoming midterm and presidential elections. Martin's tenure as interim U.S. attorney led to the firing of over a dozen probationary federal prosecutors who had investigated the January 6 attack. He also ordered prosecutors to investigate internal matters, resulting in the resignation of the top criminal chief due to alleged pressure to launch a criminal investigation and freeze assets of a grant awarded by the Environmental Protection Agency during the Biden administration.

Martin's handling of investigations, frequent announcements on social media, and targeting of political figures like Senator Charles Schumer and Georgetown University Law Center drew criticism and led to ethical complaints. His appointment as a special assistant U.S. attorney to lead mortgage-related investigations into Democratic officials further strained his relationship with DOJ leadership.

Emails obtained by a government watchdog revealed tensions between Martin and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche over productivity on the Weaponization Working Group. Blanche later assigned Martin to promote the Justice Department's initiative to allow some convicted felons to petition for firearm rights restoration. Blanche has since claimed a mended relationship with Martin, and the DOJ has filed a statement of interest in support of Martin in an ongoing ethics case.