Donald Trump has named Jeanine Pirro, a Fox News personality known for her MAGA commentary, as interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. The announcement quickly sparked controversy, not just because of her media persona, but also due to her history of public missteps.
Pirro brings a lengthy resume in law and television. She previously served as Assistant District Attorney and then District Attorney in Westchester County, New York—becoming the first woman elected to those positions. During her legal career, she was recognized for her advocacy in domestic violence cases and helped establish one of the first domestic violence bureaus in the country.
Beyond her courtroom credentials, Pirro spent a decade hosting Justice with Judge Jeanine on Fox News and currently co-hosts The Five. Her outspoken style and loyal support of Donald Trump made her a staple on conservative television.
Pirro’s media career has included several controversies. In 2019, she was temporarily suspended from Fox News after making comments that were widely condemned as Islamophobic. She’s also gone viral for slurred or erratic speech during live segments, sparking online speculation about her sobriety, though she’s never publicly addressed those moments in detail.
Her new appointment to one of the nation’s most high-profile legal positions—especially in a city as politically charged as Washington, D.C.—marks another mediocre move by the Trump administration during his second term.
Trump praised Pirro as one of the most accomplished district attorneys in New York’s history and called her “a class by herself.”
