US president Donald Trump on Thursday named Fox News hostJeanine Pirro as the interim top federal prosecutor for Washington, D.C., replacing his original pick, Ed Martin Jr., whose nomination faced heavy opposition. The announcement was made on Trump’s Truth Social account, where he praised Pirro as “incredibly well qualified” and “one of the top district attorneys” in New York’s history.

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Pirro, a former judge and three-term district attorney in Westchester County, New York, joined Fox News in 2006 and now co-hosts “The Five.” Her appointment follows a pattern of Trump tapping Fox News figures for senior posts — including Pete Hegseth, now Defence Secretary. Trump pulled Martin’s nomination earlier in the day after Republican senators raised concerns about his defence of Capitol rioters and lack of legal experience. Martin, who had never prosecuted a case before, drew criticism during his brief tenure for controversial staff changes and social media posts. Pirro’s legal background stands in contrast. A 1975 Albany Law School graduate, she helped establish one of the country’s first domestic violence prosecution units. She also ran unsuccessfully for New York attorney general in 2006 after briefly attempting to challenge then-Senator Hillary Clinton. While Pirro’s media career has included public support for Trump, it has also brought legal trouble. In 2021, she was named in a $2.7 billion defamation suit by Smartmatic for spreading false claims about the 2020 election.