President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that Ed Martin, a Justice Department official who most recently served as pardon attorney, is leaving the administration. According to the announcement, Martin is departing to assist with legal matters for the upcoming midterm elections and the 2028 presidential election. The president described Martin as having done an "incredible job" in various roles within the department.
Martin previously served as the interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia and led the "Weaponization Working Group" under then-Attorney General Pam Bondi. His tenure in these roles was marked by significant personnel changes and internal friction. While serving as the top federal prosecutor in D.C., Martin oversaw the firing of more than a dozen probationary prosecutors who had worked on January 6 investigations and ordered an inquiry into the charging decisions made against those defendants.
During his time at the Justice Department, Martin faced criticism from colleagues and external entities. Sources told CBS News that career lawyers blocked him from investigating Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY), and he received an ethics complaint from D.C.'s Office of Disciplinary Counsel after threatening to stop hiring Georgetown University Law Center graduates over the school's diversity policies. Additionally, a federal judge recently dismissed a mortgage fraud indictment Martin secured against New York Attorney General Letitia James, ruling the appointment of the interim U.S. attorney who secured it was unlawful.
The scale of Martin's impact is noted through the dismissal of the indictment against New York Attorney General Letitia James and the ongoing appeals process initiated by the Justice Department. Furthermore, his involvement in mortgage-related investigations into high-profile figures like Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook represents a significant use of department resources, though those specific probes have not resulted in charges. The D.C. ethics complaint against Martin remains pending, potentially affecting his standing to practice law in the district regardless of his shift to private political legal work.
What happens next depends on the Justice Department's recruitment for the pardon attorney role and the outcome of ongoing litigation. The department has filed a statement of interest in support of Martin regarding his ethics case, and Attorney General Todd Blanche recently assigned Martin to promote a new initiative allowing certain individuals, such as convicted felons, to petition for the restoration of firearm rights. Martin’s transition to the private sector is timed for the upcoming midterm elections, though the specific organization or firm he will join was not reported.