Former President Donald Trump has announced a series of judicial nominations as part of his second-term agenda, amid frustrations over what he calls “activist judges” obstructing his efforts.
Writing on Truth Social, Trump accused the courts of preventing him from enforcing immigration policy, saying: “The Court System is preventing me from executing the duties I was elected to perform.”
Trump named several nominees for federal judgeships, including:
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Maria Lanahan, Principal Deputy Solicitor General of Missouri
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Zachary Bluestone, appellate chief and violent crimes prosecutor in Missouri
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Joshua Divine, Missouri Solicitor General
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Cristian Stevens, judge on the Missouri Court of Appeals
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Edward Aloysius O’Connell, nominated for D.C. Superior Court
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Whitney Hermandorfer, tapped for the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals
All judicial nominees will require Senate confirmation.
In a separate move, Trump withdrew the nomination of Dr. Janette Nesheiwat for U.S. Surgeon General, following concerns over inaccuracies in her credentials and past public health positions. She has been replaced by Dr. Casey Means, a wellness entrepreneur and advocate aligned with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. under Trump’s “Make America Healthy Again (MAHA)” initiative.
Nesheiwat, a former Fox News contributor, said she looks forward to serving in a senior policy role instead, reaffirming her commitment to improving American health