President Donald Trump announced on Thursday the withdrawal of his nomination of Ed Martin as the top federal prosecutor for the District of Columbia.
This decision arrived amid mounting criticism towards Martin, particularly for his support of defendants involved in the January 6 Capitol riot, and as it became increasingly apparent that the Senate was unlikely to confirm his appointment.
Senator Thom Tillis, a Republican from North Carolina, declared earlier this week that he would not support Martin’s nomination, which many perceived as a decisive factor in the fate of Martin’s confirmation.
Tillis specifically pointed to Martin’s stance regarding the Capitol riot defendants as a reason for his decision.
During his announcement at the White House, Trump described Martin as “a terrific person” but acknowledged the lack of support for the nomination, admitting, “I have to be straight. I was disappointed.”
The president added, “A lot of people were disappointed, but that’s the way it works. Sometimes that’s the way it works. And he wasn’t rejected, but we felt it would be very hard.”
Trump also hinted at future plans, stating, “We have somebody else that will be announcing over the next two days who’s gonna be great.”
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