Trump Pressures Senate to End Blue Slip Blockade

President Donald Trump is taking the gloves off in his fight to overhaul a broken judicial nomination process and he’s not sparing Republicans who refuse to get with the program.

In a fiery post on Truth Social, Trump called out Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) for clinging to an outdated Senate courtesy known as the “blue slip,” which allows home-state senators to block judicial or U.S. attorney nominees they dislike. For Trump, it’s yet another tactic being exploited by Democrats to obstruct his America First agenda and he’s had enough.

“Chuck Grassley… could solve the ‘Blue Slip’ problem we are having with respect to the appointment of Highly Qualified Judges and U.S. Attorneys, with a mere flick of the pen,” Trump wrote.
He slammed Democrat senators like Chuck Schumer, Cory Booker, and Adam Schiff as “SLEAZEBAGS” using the process to stall qualified nominees.

Grassley, visibly irritated, responded at a nominations hearing by saying he was “offended” by the president’s remarks and accused Trump of delivering “personal insults.”

But here’s the reality:

• Democrats have already used the blue slip to block at least two of Trump’s U.S. attorney nominations this year.

• Blue slip abuse has held up confirmations of dozens of district judges in states where Democrat senators refuse to cooperate.

• Meanwhile, the Biden-era Department of Justice had a virtual green light to pack the courts with progressive ideologues, thanks to weak GOP opposition.

Despite his frustration, Grassley has said he supports Trump’s push to cancel the Senate’s August recess so confirmations can continue. “Trump needs his administration in place,” he posted on X. But the Iowa senator still clings to the blue slip a move that plays right into Democrats’ hands.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) echoed concerns about Democrat obstructionism, warning that they are setting a “dangerous and ugly precedent.” But warnings won’t fix the problem. Action will.

Trump's argument is simple: the Constitution gives the president the power to nominate judges, not unelected Senate staffers using century-old traditions to gum up the works. Letting Democrat senators veto nominees in states they control is like giving the losing team the ability to bench your starters.

This isn’t about procedural courtesies. It’s about the future of the federal judiciary and ultimately, the rule of law. Every day Democrats delay confirmations, justice suffers. Prosecutors sit vacant. Criminals slip through cracks. And Americans lose trust in a system bogged down by bureaucracy.

The blue slip may have once served a purpose, but in today’s hyper-partisan environment, it’s become a weapon of sabotage. If Republicans can’t unify to remove roadblocks to Trump’s nominees, they’ll be handing victory after victory to the same radical left that smeared Supreme Court nominees, pushed activist judges, and cheered lawfare against conservatives.

The GOP must decide: stand firm with Trump to restore the courts, or let Democrats keep gaming the system.

Share this with others who care about our courts or subscribe to our newsletter for more updates.