Trump Loyalist Ed Martin Leaves Justice Department To Fight Election Legal Battles
Ed Martin, a close ally of US President Donald Trump, is leaving the Justice Department to focus on legal battles surrounding the 2026 midterm elections and the 2028 presidential race, Trump announced Friday.
Trump said Martin, who served as the Justice Department's pardon attorney, would leave government to work outside the department on election related litigation. He praised Martin for helping ensure what he described as “Free, Fair, and Honest Elections” and advancing constitutional rights.
Martin responded to Trump's announcement on X by reposting the president's message and writing, “Proud to serve. Fight Fight Fight.”
His departure follows a controversial tenure at the Justice Department, where he held several senior positions despite concerns over his limited prosecutorial experience and unconventional approach.
Martin served as interim US attorney for the District of Columbia after Trump returned to office in January 2025. In that role, he oversaw the dismissal of cases involving January 6 defendants following Trump's sweeping pardons. Trump later withdrew Martin's nomination for the permanent position amid bipartisan concerns about his qualifications and past support for Capitol riot defendants.
Martin subsequently became pardon attorney and led the Justice Department's Weaponization Working Group, which examined actions taken during the Biden administration that Trump allies argued had unfairly targeted conservatives. He was later removed from the working group's leadership following clashes with Justice Department officials but retained his pardon attorney position.
He also became involved in investigations targeting Democratic figures, including New York Attorney General Letitia James and Sen. Adam Schiff. His investigation of James attracted particular attention after he urged her to resign and was photographed outside her Brooklyn home. The case against James was subsequently dismissed after a judge found that the prosecutor who brought the charges had been unlawfully appointed.
Martin was previously a prominent figure in Trump's “Stop the Steal” movement and spoke at a Washington rally on the eve of the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack. He later served on the board of a nonprofit that raised money for defendants and their families.
His departure comes as the Trump administration intensifies its focus on the 2026 elections, including efforts concerning voter data, alleged noncitizen voting and election administration. The administration has also pushed for documentary proof of citizenship requirements for voting and expanded federal scrutiny of election processes.
Trump has made election related issues a major focus ahead of the November midterms, which will determine control of Congress for the final two years of his presidency. Martin's move outside government places a prominent Trump ally directly in the political and legal battles expected to surround those elections and the 2028 presidential contest.
Trump also recently nominated nine federal judicial candidates as the midterms approach, underscoring the administration's broader focus on the judiciary and legal institutions.