With the commencement of Trump’s presidency, the suspense around his new hires was palpable. Amid the fervor, an official gestured grandly towards Jeanine Pirro, teasing a significant announcement. Pirro, however, disagreed, and through Fox, clarified she had no intention to join the governing party despite her presence at the supporting event. She was nevertheless roped into serving as the interim U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C., a noticeable downgrade from Ed Martin.
Martin’s Senate approval process sparked controversy amongst Republicans and Democrats alike, foreshadowing his replacement. Trump relished in the controversial choice of Pirro for the post, a decision lengthening the list of Fox colleagues converted into high-ranking Trump administration members. Media Matters, a decidedly liberal monitor, has logged Pirro as the 23rd Fox persona to hold such a position under Trump.
Pirro’s career prior to joining the Trump administration consisted of a circuitous path from the courtroom to the Fox News studio. Once a county judge and district attorney in Westchester County, a suburb on the rim of New York City, she abandoned her legal tenure almost two decades ago for a pivot into broadcasting.
Perhaps her enduring bond with Trump, cultivated during his tenure as a New York real estate magnate, influenced Pirro’s unusual career choice. Trump notably supported Pirro’s failed 2006 quest for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate, a role firmly held by Democrat Hillary Clinton.
Following a stint on a televised reality courtroom show on the CW network, she anchored her own weekend program in 2011. Though she branded herself as a champion for law and order, her overarching rhetoric transformed into belligerent conduct.
In Trump’s first presidential term, Pirro projected an antagonistic stance toward the FBI and the Justice Department. She advocated for imprisonment of its personnel, made appearances at Trump campaign events, and played a pivotal role in disrupting his impeachment trials.
The controversy surrounding her inflammatory rhetoric didn’t stop there. Pirro, along with three other Fox hosts and the network, faced legal ramifications. They were sued for libel by Dominion Voting Systems, an election equipment manufacturer.
Many critics argue that appointing Martin as interim U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C., was Trump’s way of courting favor with the Jan. 6 rioters. Martin’s credibility was already strained from propagating erroneous claims about election fraud in critical 2020 swing states.
His controversial stance culminated in an impassioned speech at a protest preceding the infamous Capitol riot, where he further represented multiple defendants. Such behavior undermined Martin’s odds at nomination, inciting critics to question his motives.
Thom Tillis, a central Republican senator from North Carolina, expressed his disapproval by vowing to reject Martin’s candidature. Trump’s selection of Pirro as a replacement underscored his penchant for surrounding himself with individuals who share his ideological sentiments.
Trump’s reliance on Fox News as a recruitment field for his administration is a contentious issue. Critics argue that by repeatedly appointing partisan TV figures like Pirro, Trump is eroding the line between government affairs and media bias. His choice of Pirro could be seen as yet another stunt to further his own narrative.