What to know about Jeanine Pirro of Fox News, Trump's pick for top D.C. attorney

Fox News host Jeanine Pirro had been a longtime ally to President Trump before he tapped her Thursday to serve as interim U.S. Attorney for D.C. after pulling Ed Martin's nomination.

Why it matters: Pirro joins at least a dozen current or former Fox News employees in the president's "central casting" Cabinet.

• "Jeanine is incredibly well qualified for this position, and is considered one of the Top District Attorneys in the History of the State of New York," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "She is in a class by herself."

Here's what to know:

Who is Jeanine Pirro?

The big picture: Pirro has been a part of Fox News for almost two decades and was named a co-host of the "The Five" in 2022. She is a former judge and prosecutor who focused on domestic violence cases.

What is Pirro's relationship with Trump?

• Pirro was an early supporter of Trump's 2016 campaign and defended him during the "Access Hollywood" tape scandal, in which he boasted about groping women.
• Following Trump's loss to former President Biden in the 2020 election, Pirro promoted false election fraud claims involving voting machines, and was later named among other Fox News employees in the Dominion Voting Systems defamation lawsuit. Fox News settled the case with a $787.5 million payout and was required to acknowledge in a statement that it aired false claims about Dominion.

What did Pirro do at Fox News?

• Pirro joined Fox News as a host in 2011, hosting a show for the network called "Justice with Judge Jeanine." "The Five" is frequently the highest-rated cable news program.
• In addition to being cited in the Dominion Voting Systems case, Pirro was named as a defendant in a similar lawsuit from voting-tech vendor Smartmatic, which is ongoing.
• In 2019, Pirro confirmed that Fox News suspended her for making Islamophobic remarks about Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar (Minn.), who is Muslim.

• Trump, during his first term as president, defended Pirro after her suspension.

Why was Martin's nomination pulled?

Catch up quick: Martin was a MAGA true believer whose leniency toward Jan. 6 Capitol rioters lost him vital Republican support in the Senate.

• Trump told reporters Thursday morning in the Oval Office that Martin "wasn't getting the support."
• The final blow came from Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) on Tuesday: "I have no tolerance for anybody who entered the building on Jan. 6," he told reporters.
• During a controversial interim appointment, Martin demoted prosecutors who worked on Jan. 6 cases, pursued critics of Elon Musk's DOGE, and threatened Wikipedia over what he called "propaganda."
• Trump instead made Martin an associate deputy attorney general and pardon attorney, where he will recommend pardons for defendants involved in the Capitol riot.