• President Trump urges Senate Majority Leader John Thune to cancel the August recess and expedite confirmations of his judicial nominees, even as only one of his picks—a conservative-leaning judge—has been approved thus far amid partisan pushback.

WASHINGTON, DC (TDR) — President Trump on Saturday implored Senate Majority Leader John Thune to cancel the Senate’s August recess and its long weekends to facilitate swift confirmation of his judicial slate. The appeal, posted to Truth Social, sustains Mr. Trump’s judiciary‑reshaping agenda—now targeting 49 vacancies among nearly 900 federal judgeships—despite already confirming his first appellate pick.

A Push for Judicial Momentum

Writing in his signature all-caps style, Mr. Trump exhorted Leader Thune to abandon planned breaks “in order to get my incredible nominees confirmed,” citing recent “many victories” in confirmation battles.

The timing is noteworthy. On Monday, the Senate confirmed Whitney Hermandorfer to the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals by a 46‑42 party‑line vote (AP News, Reuters)—a triumph for Mr. Trump, whose first‑term judiciary included 234 appointments. Hermandorfer, a Tennessee lawyer and former clerk to Supreme Court Justices Alito, Barrett and Kavanaugh, led strategic litigation on restrictive abortion and transgender policy cases (Reuters).

Deepening Confirmation Battles

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Mr. Trump’s next nominees include former Fox News host Jeanine Pirro for U.S. Attorney in D.C. and Emil Bove for the Third Circuit. The Judiciary Committee advanced both last week, despite a dramatic Democratic walkout. Democrats cited whistleblower claims that Bove allegedly encouraged DOJ attorneys to disregard court orders related to immigration, alleging partisan excess (Politico).

Cory Booker tweeted that “Bove not only knows (and is complicit in hiding) things about the Epstein files, but has told Trump to ‘f**’ court orders.”** (Politico)

Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sen. Dick Durbin criticized Hermandorfer’s relative inexperience—less than a decade of legal practice—and her track record on controversial issues (Reuters).

Thune’s Calculus and Senate Dynamics

Sen. Thune, fresh from celebrating what he described as a “successful six months of implementing our pro‑America agenda,” has not publicly responded to Mr. Trump’s recess plea. Yet he previously argued that nominees should “understand the proper role of a judge.” (Reuters) The Senate GOP retains narrow control and can proceed on nominations without recess, though a prolonged session could provoke political consequences as fall nears.

Stakes of the Nomination Cycle

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This second wave of confirmations underscores a strategic shift. Mr. Trump no longer faces backlogged vacancies like those left after President Obama. With fewer openings but higher stakes, the administration appears intent on cementing conservative jurisprudence for decades.

Critics view this as a test of democratic norms and Senate decorum, with control of the life-tenured judiciary being a prized legacy. Supporters frame it as overdue discipline in a judiciary that frequently strikes down executive or legislative initiatives.

A Constitutional Balance

The Constitution empowers the president to nominate and the Senate to advise and consent. Yet when a president pushes for recess cancellation, the question arises: should constitutional operation yield to partisan expediency?

Will senators uphold the Senate’s scheduled breaks or press ahead, reshaping courts and perhaps Senate traditions in the process?

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