Ed Martin leaves DOJ to focus on election legal battles

Ed Martin, a controversial Justice Department official and longtime ally of President Donald Trump, is leaving the administration to focus on legal efforts related to the upcoming midterm elections and the 2028 presidential race. Trump announced the departure in a social media post on Friday, August 21, 2026.

Trump stated that Martin, who served as the U.S. pardon attorney and director of the department's Weaponization Working Group, will now work externally to "fight Legal Battles for the upcoming Midterm Election, and the Presidential Election of 2028." The president expressed confidence that Martin would "do an outstanding job, ensure Free, Fair, and Honest Elections, and strongly advance our Constitutional Rights."

Martin's tenure in the administration has been marked by a series of high-profile and often contentious roles. He first gained prominence as the interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia from January to May 2025, where he oversaw the dismissal of January 6 cases following Trump's pardons. Trump later withdrew his nomination for the permanent position due to bipartisan concerns about his prosecutorial experience and past support for rioters who attacked...