ROOKE: Republicans Won’t Help Trump On Nominees Backlog, So He’s Trying Different Path

President Donald Trump’s early efforts to bypass an obstinate Senate to place loyalist U.S. attorneys in the Department of Justice are largely failing due to successful court challenges and an outdated Senate tradition. Not to worry, he’s got another plan.

Trump, in the face of unprecedented judicial obstruction and Democratic Senators using the “blue slip” tradition to prevent his nominees from the confirmation process, has taken decisive action to ensure that his chosen U.S. attorneys can serve the American people without endless delays.

The initial use of interim and acting appointments under statutes like the Federal Vacancies Reform Act was a legitimate exercise of presidential authority to keep critical Justice Department positions filled amid obstruction. These tools exist precisely for situations where the Senate drags its feet. While 13 U.S. attorneys have been confirmed by the Senate, with 18 more on track for confirmation, Trump has been forced to use interim appointments to cover over half the districts. None of this would be necessary if Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley and Senate Majority Leader John Thune would agree to end the blue slip tradition.

After a hot-mic moment from Trump earlier in December, which brought the Senate’s blue-slip tradition into the national conversation, it seems Trump has decided to go all in on demanding that the Senate scrap this archaic process.

“‘Blue Slips’ are making it impossible to get great Republican Judges and U.S. Attorneys approved to serve in any state where there is even a single Democrat Senator. If they say no, then it is OVER for that very well qualified Republican candidate. Only a really far left Democrat can be approved. It is shocking that Republicans, under Senator Chuck G, allow this scam to continue. So unfair to Republicans, and not Constitutional. I am hereby asking Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a fantastic guy, to get something done, ideally the termination of Blue Slips. Too many GREAT REPUBLICANS are being, SENT PACKIN’. None are getting approved!!!” Trump said in a Truth Social post.

The American people delivered the White House, the Senate, and the House to Republicans in 2024, with the only requirement being they work together on the voter-endorsed mandate. They did not do it, so Republicans can use traditions as an excuse to allow Democratic senators to veto Trump’s U.S. attorneys and district judges for the next four years. (Sign up for Mary Rooke’s weekly newsletter here!)

Grassley is defending the Senate Judiciary Committee’s lack of processing for Trump nominees by blaming the White House in a post on X.

“Like judicial nominees I’d like to process even more US Attorneys but I’m hamstrung waiting for background investigations +other paperwork from the administration that the Judic Committee needs to advance the nominees we haven’t moved already,” Grassley wrote.

“ATTN WH; SEND MORE NOMS,” he added.

Like judicial nominees I’d like to process even more US Attorneys but I’m hamstrung waiting for background investigations +other paperwork from the administration that the Judic Committee needs to advance the nominees we haven’t moved already

ATTN WH; SEND MORE NOMS

— Chuck Grassley (@ChuckGrassley) December 11, 2025

If Congressional Republicans fully backed Trump by ending blue slips, it would streamline confirmations, reduce reliance on temporary appointments, and prevent activist judges from second-guessing executive decisions. The judiciary’s role is not to micromanage personnel but to interpret laws. Republicans’ lack of action on these nominees risks further politicizing the bench by forcing the judiciary to take cases that should never have been brought in the first place. (Trump’s Hot Mic Moment Exposes Beef With Senate GOP)

Follow Mary Rooke on X: @MaryRooke

Sign up for Mary Rooke’s weekly newsletter here!