Jeanine Pirro, the former Fox News host who assumed leadership of the U.S. attorney’s office in Washington three months ago, has become a central figure in President Trump’s law enforcement takeover of the capital.
Pirro, 74, has struggled to adapt to Washington’s bureaucratic pace, voicing frustration over matters ranging from office logistics to federal laws that restrict prosecution of young offenders. She has told staff she would call Attorney General Pam Bondi when annoyed, and “I’ll call the president!” when especially upset, according to people familiar with her remarks.
A longtime ally of Trump, Pirro previously sought a senior Justice Department post but was passed over. Now she has embraced her role with a focus on street crime while toning down the partisan rhetoric that made her a pro-Trump media fixture, including claims about rigged voting machines and anti-Muslim remarks.
Her arrival followed turmoil under interim U.S. attorney Ed Martin, who dismissed lawyers tied to Capitol riot prosecutions. Career staff departures have continued, but morale has steadied since Pirro took over. She was sworn in by Bondi in May at the Oval Office.
This past week, Pirro stood alongside Trump as he announced the White House-led takeover of D.C. law enforcement. “I see too much violent crime being committed by young punks who think they can get together in gangs and crews and beat the hell out of you,” she said.
The move signals a second political front for Trump-era federal prosecutors, casting cities as unsafe and Democrats as permissive. While violent crime has declined in Washington, residents remain concerned about safety, creating what critics call an opening for Trump to exploit.
Pirro left a lucrative Fox News position for her current post, a decision unsurprising to associates who say she wanted to return to prosecution. Her past controversies include false claims about the 2020 election and remarks that led to a suspension from Fox. She was also connected to Dominion Voting Systems’ defamation suit that cost the network $787 million.
Bondi recommended Pirro after Senate Republicans rejected Martin for the permanent role. Trump offered her the position, which she accepted.
Since arriving, Pirro has worked long hours, holding daily meetings with division chiefs, visiting court proceedings, and distancing herself from Martin’s closed-off management style. She gained credibility after a May shooting outside the Israeli Embassy, when she responded with professionalism and restraint.
Her office still faces significant staffing shortages, with estimates of one-quarter to one-third of career staff lost. Pirro has publicly said “90 prosecutors, 60 investigators and paralegals” have departed. She has openly invited lawyers to apply for positions.
Pirro began her career in New York as Westchester County district attorney, elected in 1993 as a Republican supporting abortion rights. She built her reputation prosecuting assaults and sexual offenses before moving into television.
Her connections to Trump have proven useful, including lobbying successfully for a pardon for her ex-husband Albert J. Pirro Jr., convicted of tax fraud. But those ties also make her vulnerable to political pressure.
One test ahead may be Bondi’s decision on whether to extend a grand jury probe into Obama-era intelligence on Russian interference, potentially involving Pirro’s office. Asked if she would investigate Senator Adam B. Schiff, Pirro replied, “The difference between me and some other people is that I don’t talk about what I’m investigating.”
Her prosecutors recently failed to secure a grand jury indictment against a woman accused of assaulting an FBI agent, with the magistrate citing weak evidence. Her office is pursuing felony charges against a man accused of throwing a sandwich at a federal officer. “So there, stick your subway sandwich somewhere else!” Pirro said in a video.
Despite her combative style, she has avoided personal attacks on local officials, instead criticizing D.C. laws restricting prosecution of offenders under 25. Some Democratic predecessors also opposed those limits.
Justice Department officials critical of her say she exaggerates routine actions for publicity. When pressed by a reporter about crime declining in the city, Pirro replied that one crime was still too many. Asked about cuts to criminal justice programs, she brushed it off with, “Oh, stop it!”
