President Donald Trump said Thursday he will soon announce a new nominee for US attorney in Washington, DC, replacing Ed Martin, whose nomination had been imperiled in recent days amid what appeared to be insurmountable pushback from Republicans on Capitol Hill.
“He’s a terrific person, and he wasn’t getting the support from people that I thought,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “I can only lift that little phone so many times in a day, but we have somebody else that will be great,” he added.
Instead, the president said Martin will take on a role within the Department of Justice “or whatever.”
CNN has reached out to Martin for comment.
Sen. Chuck Grassley, chairman of the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee responsible for advancing Martin to a full Senate vote, said following Trump’s remarks that he had not been made aware the president was likely pulling the nomination. “I have not been informed,” the Iowa Republican told CNN.
Martin’s nomination was first derailed Monday when Sen. Thom Tillis, a key GOP swing vote, informed the White House he would not support the president’s nominee for the job over concerns related to Martin’s views on the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol.
Tillis, who serves on the Judiciary panel, had met with Martin Monday. Last week, the North Carolina Republican told CNN he has “serious questions” about the nomination, given Martin’s previous comments denigrating police officers who defended the Capitol during attack.
This is a breaking story and will be updated.
CNN’s Hannah Rabinowitz contributed to this report.
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