The Democratic-led Senate confirmed the 235th federal judge under President Joe Biden, surpassing the 234 judicial confirmations achieved by former President Donald Trump. This milestone includes one Supreme Court justice, 45 appeals court judges, 187 district court judges, and two U.S. Court of International Trade judges. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called the achievement “historic,” emphasizing that more judges were confirmed during Biden’s term than under any administration in recent decades.
The Biden administration highlighted the diversity of its judicial appointments, including the first Black woman on the Supreme Court, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, and a record number of judges from historically underrepresented groups. Additionally, Biden prioritized nominees with backgrounds as public defenders, civil rights lawyers, and advocates for workers’ rights, breaking with the tradition of favoring prosecutors and corporate attorneys.
Despite this success, Biden trails Trump in shaping the Supreme Court, as Trump appointed three justices, creating a 6-3 conservative majority. Some Republicans criticized Biden’s judicial nominees, with Sen. Ted Cruz accusing Senate Democrats of confirming “zealots,” while others, like Sen. John Kennedy, downplayed the significance of the milestone.
Looking ahead, Sen. Chuck Grassley expressed confidence that Trump’s next term will surpass Biden’s judicial record, though others, like Sen. John Cornyn, noted the limited number of vacancies may make this difficult. Democrats remain cautious, preparing for potential challenges under a Republican-controlled Senate and a Trump presidency, which they fear could result in the appointment of ideologically extreme judges with lifetime tenure.
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