Trump calls on Senate to confirm remaining 25 judges amid Arkansas senator friction

President Donald Trump is urging the Senate to confirm 25 federal judges before Republicans surrender their majority in January, as resistance from Arkansas’s senators threatens a nominee whose confirmation would give Trump appointees a majority on a federal appeals court for the first time.“Very important for the U.S. Senate to confirm all of our pending 161 Nominations, including 25 Federal Judges,” Trump posted on Truth Social on Monday evening.The president’s pressure comes as Sens. John Boozman (R-AR) and Tom Cotton (R-AR) are said to be opposing Lee Rudofsky’s nomination to the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, favoring Arkansas Supreme Court Justice Cody Hiland instead, according to judicial nominations insiders. Sen. John Boozman (R-AR) speaks during a hearing of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, July 16, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) One source told the Washington Examiner the most friction against Rudofsky appears to be coming from Boozman, while Cotton is more concerned with shoring up Boozman’s support. Neither senator’s office responded to requests for comment.The dispute has drawn criticism from Trump allies who warn Republicans are jeopardizing a chance to shape the judiciary before Democrats take control, building on a first term in which Trump appointed three Supreme Court justices and 54 federal appeals court judges. Former President Joe Biden, by comparison, appointed one Supreme Court justice and 45 federal appeals court judges during his four years in office.“After losing the Republican Senate, Boozman is now blocking Rudofsky because he wants to negotiate with Democrats for his friend,” Robert Luther III, who worked on judicial nominations in Trump’s first White House, posted on X. “Arkansans deserve better.”Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), set to become the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee in January, urged colleagues to confirm Rudofsky and Trump’s remaining judicial nominees.“If the Senate doesn’t do this now, it’s unlikely President Trump will be able to fill these positions in the next Congress,” Lee posted on X.Trump has announced 22 judicial nominees who remain pending, while three additional prospective nominees have submitted Senate Judiciary paperwork without formal announcements.Neither senator introduced Rudofsky at his September confirmation hearing, departing from the customary role of home-state senators.Hiland said in an August appearance before law students that he expected the appeals court nomination but was offered a district court seat, which he declined.Mike Davis, an informal Trump legal adviser, called the Arkansas senators’ opposition “an unforgivable sin” and suggested Judiciary Committee members John Cornyn (R-TX) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) were helping them. Their offices did not return requests for comment.Rudofsky is among four pending appeals court nominees. Daniel Domenico, nominated to the 10th Circuit, and Anna St. John, nominated to the 5th Circuit, await floor action. Fellow 5th Circuit nominee Todd Butler is scheduled for a Tuesday hearing.The committee’s Tuesday business agenda lists six district court nominees for consideration: Daniel Ballou, Richard Bennett, Courtney Coker, Trevor Pemberton, Kyle Reardon, and Zachary West.Rudofsky and three other judicial nominees are marked as held over under committee rules, putting their votes off until a later meeting. Rudofsky’s committee vote is expected next week, when Republican defections could prevent his nomination from advancing.TRUMP’S WINDOW FOR JUDICIAL NOMINATIONS NARROWS AFTER DEMOCRATS RETAKE SENATETrump appointed Rudofsky, Arkansas’s former solicitor general, to the Eastern District of Arkansas in 2019. He would succeed U.S. Circuit Judge Bobby Shepherd, a George W. Bush appointee who plans to assume senior status upon his successor’s confirmation.“Wanting a different person isn’t a valid reason to object to the president’s circuit court nominees,” Luther said. “Anybody that cares about Trump’s judicial legacy needs to have a problem with this.”