Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire.—Gustav Mahler

Wednesday, January 29, 2025

Trump-47 Judicial Vacancies and Trump-47 Judicial Nominations (UPDATED)


By MAY 24, 2014, OBAMA-44 (starting on January 20, 2013) had 84 nominees to Article III judicial posts confirmed by the U.S. Senate. This included 2 appointments to the Court of International Trade.

By MAY 24, 2022, BIDEN-46 (starting January 20, 2021) had 64 nominees to Article III judicial posts confirmed by the U.S. Senate. This included one U.S. Supreme Court post.  

By MAY 24, 2018, TRUMP-45 (starting January 20, 2017) had 39 nominees to Article III judicial posts confirmed by the U.S. Senate. This included one U.S. Supreme Court Justice. 

As of MAY 24, 2026, Trump-47 (starting January 20, 2025) has had 41 nominees to Article III judicial posts confirmed by the U.S. Senate. 

SUMMARY: From inauguration (January 20) through a year after inauguration and the following May 24:

OBAMA-44 (84) > BIDEN-46 (64) > TRUMP-45 (39) > TRUMP-47 (39)

TRUMP-47 is still well behind BIDEN-46. [39/64=61% or F]


At the start of Trump-47, on January 20, 2025, there were 45 federal judicial vacancies—all were Article III vacancies.

There are now 44 federal judicial vacancies, including: 44 Article III positions.

There are 874 authorized Article III federal judicial positions (including the Court of International Trade, and including Article I/IV district courts in the territories), with 44 vacancies, amounting to a circa 5% vacancy rate. 

There are currently FIVE vacancies across all federal appellate courts. As of today, MAY 24, 2026, there are nominees for each vacancy.


             MAY 24, 2026: Vacancies            Trump-47 Nominations*    Senate Confirmed

US Supreme Court --                    0                                     0                                         0 

US Federal Circuit Courts --        5                                      5                                        6

US Federal District Courts --     38                                    10                                       32

US Court of Intl Trade (Art III)  1                                      1                                         0

Article I Courts --                         0                                      0                                         1

Total --                                        44                                    16                                       39

Vacancies include current and future vacancies as reported: current, <https://www.uscourts.gov/data-news/judicial-vacancies/current-judicial-vacancies>, and future <https://www.uscourts.gov/data-news/judicial-vacancies/future-judicial-vacancies>. 

Seth Barrett Tillman, Trump-47 Judicial Vacancies and Trump-47 Judicial Nominations,’ New Reform Club (UPDATED from time to time) (Jan. 29, 2025, 3:14 AM), <https://reformclub.blogspot.com/2025/01/trump-47-judicial-vacancies-and.html>; 

*Nominations refers to nominations awaiting Senate committee action or action before the full Senate. Posts listed in the Senate Confirmed column are not included among Vacancies or Trump-47 Nominations”. Nominations which are announced to the public, but not yet submitted to the Senate are not included in the chart above. 


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