Trump Unlikely to Match 231 First-Term Judges as Vacancies Shrink to 30
Updated
Updated · Brookings Institution · Aug 6
Trump Unlikely to Match 231 First-Term Judges as Vacancies Shrink to 30
1 articles · Updated · Brookings Institution · Aug 6
Summary
53 judges had been confirmed by July 31 in Trump’s second term, ahead of the 44 at the same point in 2018, but matching his first-term total now looks unlikely.
60 nominees had been submitted through July 2026 versus 137 eight years earlier, leaving only 6 pending before the Senate instead of the 92 that fueled confirmations later in 2018.
30 circuit and district court vacancies lack nominees, far below the 92 in July 2018, and Trump inherited 50 vacancies this term versus 119 in his first.
42 judges created vacancies in the first roughly 20 months of Trump’s second term, compared with 97 in the same span after the 2016 election, suggesting retirement timing is limiting openings.
Even if all 6 pending nominees and all 30 open seats were filled, Trump would reach 89 confirmations in two years; topping his first-term 231 by 2028 would require 178 more appointments.