President Donald Trump on Wednesday deferred to senators even as one blocked the nomination of Ed Martin for U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia.
The decision is "up to the senators," Trump said.
During a press conference in the Oval Office, Trump was asked about Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, who refused to vote to advance Martin's nomination out of the committee, effectively killing Martin's chances of getting confirmed by the full Senate.
"It's disappointing because I know Ed. He's very talented," Trump said. "Crime is down in Washington, D.C., street crime, violent crime, by 25% and people have seen, they've noticed a big difference."
Tillis reportedly informed the White House of his decision this week, but Trump said on Wednesday that he was unaware that the senator would not vote for Martin, who has nominated by Trump.
"I didn't know that but if he, if anybody voted against him, I feel very badly about it only in the sense that in this short period of time that he's been there, crime is down 25% in Washington, D.C.," Trump said. "But that's really up to the senators, if they feel that way. They have to vote the way they vote. They have to follow their heart and they have to follow their mind."