U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) addressed the Senate floor regarding the upcoming consideration of judicial nominees, specifically mentioning Whitney Hermandorfer of Tennessee for the United States Circuit Judge position on the Sixth Circuit. Thune announced that he had filed cloture on Hermandorfer’s nomination, marking it as the first judicial nominee from President Trump to be considered this month.
Thune highlighted what he described as a significant accomplishment during President Trump’s first term: confirming 234 judges to federal courts. He noted that at the beginning of Trump’s administration, there were over 100 vacancies in the judiciary, which presented both a challenge and an opportunity to influence the federal bench.
According to Thune, “The administration got right to work on identifying good judicial candidates, and Leader McConnell determined that we were going to fill those slots – and others that would open up.” He credited then-Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley with helping ensure that appointees would “faithfully interpret the law” rather than legislate from the bench.
Thune contrasted his party’s approach with what he characterized as Democrats’ preference for judges who align with their policy positions. He stated, “You only have to look at Democrats’ attempts to politicize and delegitimize the Supreme Court for daring to occasionally rule against Democrats’ preferred outcomes to realize that Democrats aren’t interested in judges who will rule according to the law – they’re interested in judges who will rule according to the platform of the Democrat Party.”
He argued that maintaining impartiality is essential for justice and warned against an activist judiciary: “An activist judiciary is a threat to justice. It’s a threat to the separation of powers. And it’s a threat to individual liberty.”
Looking ahead, Thune noted there are currently about 50 vacancies on federal courts—fewer than at the start of Trump’s first term—and emphasized continuing efforts “by filling those vacancies with more judges who understand the proper role of a judge.” He expressed appreciation for colleagues involved in previous confirmation efforts and reiterated support for working with President Trump and Chairman Grassley during this Congress.
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