Trump’s First Judicial Pick Underscores His Desire To Expand His Own Power And Dismantle Constitutional Rights

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 2, 2025

CONTACT: [email protected]

Washington, DC– Shortly before midnight on May 1st, President Donald Trump announced that he plans to nominate Whitney Hermandorfer to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Trump announced Hermandorfer’s nomination on social media, raising questions on process as well as if an official announcement would be made today with potentially other nominees. President Biden nominated labor lawyer Karla Campbell for this Tennessee-based seat, which nonetheless went unfilled at the close of the 118th Congress.

Demand Justice Interim Executive Director Maggie Jo Buchanan released the following statement in response to the pick: 

“As a direct result of Trump’s judicial appointments from his first term, our country has become less safe and critical freedoms have been ripped from us. Especially while the Administration and its allies are actively circumventing the rule of law while threatening judges who rule against them–it should be clear to all that Trump will continue to prioritize judicial nominees willing to put personal loyalty over the law. 

“His first judicial selection only underscores that fact. For example, in late March of this year, Hermandorfer served as counsel of record for Tennessee in a brief submitted to the Supreme Court supporting a position Trump is advancing as part of his bid to end birthright citizenship. The administration’s attempt to end birthright citizenship has been roundly criticized as unconstitutional by leading scholars on the left and right–but Hermandorfer appears to be willing to act in lockstep with the political desires of this administration.   

“Long after Trump’s first term as president ended, the loyalist judges he installed were doing his bidding from the bench. These judges protected his political interests and pushed dangerous, unpopular policies on the American people, facilitating right-wing attacks on abortion access, commonsense gun control, critical environmental and public health protections, and free and fair elections. 

“Now, Trump has the opportunity to push our courts even further to the right with judges who are likely to serve on the bench for decades to come. Americans deserve better than this; all who believe in our democracy must hold firm against extremist nominees.”

The 6th Circuit has jurisdiction over Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Tennessee. 

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