On a day notoriously lost in the anticipation of President Trump’s commencement into office, Jeanine Pirro, a renowned Trump official, was humorously touted as an imminent significant member of the Trump administration. However, she nervously played down the enthusiasm by mouthing ‘No, no,’ before swiftly assuring through Fox that her ties with Trump’s administration wouldn’t become existential. But soon, news broke on a Thursday evening that Trump was bringing Pirro on board as an acting U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C., showing that the previous insistence was either a ruse or a sudden change of heart.
Pirro took over from the controversial Ed Martin, who ran afoul of both sides of the political spectrum during his attempted Senate confirmation. While he lauded Pirro’s appointance, Trump savored the opportunity to boast about her accomplishments and reflect on her career path.
Here was the ex-legal professional, turned media personality, counted by the leftist watchdogs at Media Matters, as the 23rd Fox affiliate to be positioned into a high-ranking role in Trump’s administration. In the view of these hyper-vigilant monitors, former legal eagles fleeing to the gloss and glam of media studios seem to be in vogue.
Pirro’s legal roots trace back to Westchester County, the suburb situated just above New York City. There, she served as a district attorney and county judge until her departure around twenty years ago. Since then, she’s been a significant distance from the looming legal battlegrounds she once presided over.
Her longstanding friendship with Trump makes a piece of the puzzle fall into place when thinking of her surprising appointment. Trump, himself a New York City real estate mogul, had supported Pirro during her unsuccessful attempt for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate in 2006—an attempt to unseat the incumbent Hillary Clinton.
After a turn hosting a mainstream courtroom show on the CW network, Pirro grabbed her own weekend broadcasting slot in 2011. Her steadfast stance against crime remained a fixture, which over time expanded into a broader platform of tough-talking narratives that appealed to a specific audience demographic.
During the early days of Trump’s first official term, Pirro echoed a Trumpian sentiment, advocating for the incarceration of FBI and Justice Department officials. She took the podium at Trump campaign rallies, acting as a vocal shield during his impeachment trials and asserting her loyalty to him with her words.
Pirro’s tenure wasn’t without its thorny patches—she was one of four Fox hosts who had defamation lawsuits filed against them by Dominion Voting Systems. The voting machine company accused them of spreading misinformation about its operations and the validity of the election results.
Having gained control of the White House, Trump offered mercy to the individuals involved in the infamous Jan. 6 Capitol siege and nominated Martin as the acting U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C. Unfortunately, Martin’s prospects took a nosedive due to his promotion of false election fraud allegations and involvement in swing state controversies during the 2020 election.
Martin’s fall from grace started spiraling when he took part in a rowdy protest the day before the Jan. 6 incident. Subsequently, he represented some of those same individuals in court. These events caused his nomination prospects to crumble like a house of cards.
Martin’s failed confirmation bid was further marred when a prominent Republican senator, North Carolina’s Thom Tillis, firmly stated that he would vote against Martin. It seems that, despite his allegiance to Trump, his controversial stances and actions were simply too much for Tillis to overlook.
This situation created a broadcaster-turned-prosecutor shaped vacancy in the administration, prompting a search for a like-minded replacement. In need of a suitable stand-in, Trump happened to find the perfect fit in his favored form of entertainment—television. And thus, Pirro transitioned from screen to the attorney’s seat.