Trump Rages at ‘Stupid and Outdated’ Blue Slip Rule Thwarting His Judicial Picks
Alex Brandon/AP
President Donald Trump raged through the night Thursday in two pointed social media attacks on the Senate’s long-standing “blue slip” tradition that he called “stupid and outdated.”
The president claimed the rule, which lets home-state senators effectively veto judicial and U.S. attorney nominees, is blocking eight of his “Highly Respected” Republican picks from confirmation and raged the careers of “GREAT people” were being “badly hurt.”
He accused Democrats of persuading Senate Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley (R-IA) to stick by the practice, which he said unfairly limits his ability to appoint allies. In August, Grassley had defended the practice in a post on X, arguing that “in Biden admin Republicans kept 30 LIBERALS OFF BENCH THAT PRES TRUMP CAN NOW FILL [with] CONSERVATIVES.”
Trump, however, has long been at odds with top Republicans on the rule and took to Truth Social to name-drop Grassley:
I have eight GREAT U.S. Attorneys, Highly Respected ALL, who will not be confirmed for their positions in various Highly Consequential States only because they’re Republicans, and the Democrats have convinced Chuck Grassley to honor the stupid and outdated “Blue Slip” tradition, which precludes very talented and dedicated people from attaining High Office. The Democrats violate this practice in order to get people in, but Republicans just don’t. These GREAT people’s careers have been badly hurt by the Radical Left Democrats, using an old and ridiculous custom strictly to their advantage. What a shame!
(Screengrab via Truth Social)
Two hours later, after a post promoting his grandaughter’s new YouTube show and another blasting the International Maritime Organization, Trump returned to the topic:
A “Blue Slip” means that if you’re a Republican President, and there happens to be just one Democrat Senator in a state where you are appointing a U.S. Attorney or District Court Judge, you will never be successful in getting a Republican confirmed. In other words, “Blue Slips” are a disaster, and I have eight GREAT Republican U.S. Attorney Candidates who will not be able to fulfill their service to the people of a state that voted overwhelmingly for me. The only one I can appoint is a Democrat, and that’s not the deal. Nobody can say that is fair or, even, Constitutional. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DJT.
(Screengrab via Truth Social)
The “blue slip” system, a courtesy that has been in place for a century, allows senators to approve or block nominees from their state. It is not part of official Senate rules, but has long shaped the judicial confirmation process.
It was scaled back in 2017, during Trump’s first term, for appellate court nominees but remains in place for district judges and U.S. attorneys.
