August 2, 2025

Senate Approves First Judge of Trump’s Second Term

President Trump’s administration is moving far more slowly to fill federal court vacancies than it did during his first term, when a top objective was to quickly appoint conservatives to the courts. On Monday, the Senate approved the first federal judge of his second term.

Tennessee Senator Whitney D. Hermandorfer was confirmed to a seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, located in Cincinnati, by a party-line vote of 46 to 42. After Mr. Trump took office in 2017, the first appellate judge confirmed her approval more than six weeks later. By this time in his final term, the Senate had also confirmed Neil M. Gorsuch as a new justice to the Supreme Court.

Mr. Trump has prioritized other areas of his administration this time around, vigorously pursuing ambassadorial nominees and focusing a large portion of the Senate’s efforts on passing the comprehensive tax and policy measures passed this month.

Additionally, there are far fewer judicial vacancies now than there were in 2017, when Senate Republicans blocked President Barack Obama’s judicial nominations after seizing control of the Senate in 2014. Mr. Trump inherited more than 100 court vacancies at that time.

The majority leader, Senator John Thune, a Republican from South Dakota, stated that the number of court vacancies in this Congress is lower than it was during Trump’s first term. The federal bench has about fifty vacancies. Verifying Ms. Hermandorfer is the first step in our effort to replace those openings with additional judges who are aware of the appropriate function of a judge.

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In the Tennessee attorney general’s office, Ms. Hermandorfer oversaw the strategic litigation section. She has argued in well-known cases, such as defending the state’s abortion ban and contesting a Biden administration rule on discrimination against transgender students.

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Martha Mire

Martha Mire is a passionate news reporter. Martha's extensive coverage spans a variety of subjects, including breaking news and in-depth investigations, showcasing her meticulous attention to detail. Mire, hailing from Austin, Texas, is dedicated to keeping the public up to date on the latest events.

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