President Donald Trump has announced his first wave of judicial nominees for his second term, drawing intense criticism from progressive activists. The nominees—selected for their strong constitutionalist and originalist philosophies—are being labeled by critics as “extreme,” despite their extensive legal credentials and public service backgrounds.
Leading the group is Whitney D. Hermandorfer, nominated for the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. Hermandorfer has clerked for Supreme Court Justices Samuel Alito, Amy Coney Barrett, and Brett Kavanaugh, and has served under Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti. She has defended Tennessee’s abortion ban and challenged federal mandates involving gender identity policies in schools. Her nomination follows Senate rejection of a Biden nominee for the same seat, largely due to opposition from Tennessee’s Republican senators.
President Trump also announced four nominees for the U.S. District Court in Missouri. These include Joshua M. Divine, Missouri’s Solicitor General and former counsel to Senator Josh Hawley; Zachary M. Bluestone, an appellate chief and violent crimes prosecutor; Maria A. Lanahan, Principal Deputy Solicitor General in Missouri’s Attorney General’s Office; and Cristian M. Stevens, a judge on the Missouri Court of Appeals. These choices were praised by Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, who said Missouri is “leading the way in restoring legal excellence to the federal bench.”
In addition, Trump nominated Edward Aloysius O’Connell, Chief of Staff and Deputy General Counsel at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, for a judgeship on the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
Left-wing group Demand Justice blasted the nominees, calling them appalling and criticizing their backgrounds as aligned with Trump’s conservative judicial agenda. These groups have long opposed Trump’s emphasis on originalist judges who oppose judicial activism and favor limited interpretations of federal authority.
President Trump responded to the backlash by reaffirming his commitment to appointing judges who uphold the Constitution and rule of law. He emphasized the need to correct what he called activist judicial overreach, particularly on immigration, education, and religious liberty cases. These appointments mark a continuation of Trump’s broader efforts to reshape the federal judiciary with jurists who prioritize textual fidelity and constitutional boundaries.
