Trump announces departure of Ed Martin, former head of DOJ’s ‘weaponization’ group

Donald Trump announced the departure of Ed Martin from the Department of Justice (DOJ) to work from outside the government on legal issues related to the midterm elections. On his Truth Social account, the president announced Martin's departure. Martin had headed the controversial Weaponization Working Group, created to investigate the alleged political use of federal institutions during the Biden administration.

Under Ed Martin's leadership, the Weaponization Working Group reviewed possible cases of abuse or instrumentalization of the DOJ and other federal agencies, with a particular focus on investigations and prosecutions that, according to the Trump administration, may have been politically motivated between January 2021 and January 2025.

Recently, Attorney General Todd Blanche announced the closure of the unit as part of the agreement reached with Republican senators to move forward with his confirmation to the position. The group had been heavily criticized by senators such as John Cornyn of Texas, Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.

"Ed Martin has been with me from the very beginning, and done an incredible job as an Attorney, Director of the Weaponization Working Group, and the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia," the president wrote on his social media account.

"Ed is now leaving to go outside to fight Legal Battles for the upcoming Midterm Election, and the Presidential Election of 2028. I know he will do an outstanding job, ensure Free, Fair, and Honest Elections, and strongly advance our Constitutional Rights," he added.

Blanche also bid farewell to Martin on her social media: "Ed Martin is a patriot who loves this nation. We thank him for his service to the Department. We look forward to seeing his future successes!"

As for Martin's previous work, he gained notoriety for his defense of the president and of individuals indicted for their participation in the Capitol riots on Jan. 6, 2021. During the first year of Trump's second term, Martin held various positions within the DOJ, including acting U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C.