Senate Confirms Trump’s Pick To Join Liberal
Senate Confirms Trump’s First 1st Circuit Court Nominee
The U.S. Senate voted 52–46 along party lines to confirm Joshua Dunlap,
a conservative lawyer from Maine, to the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals,
giving President Donald Trump his first appointment to the Boston-based court.
Until now, it was the only federal appeals court without a Republican-appointed judge.
Dunlap’s confirmation marks a shift in the court’s balance,
reflecting Trump’s broader effort to reshape the federal judiciary.
His nomination followed Judge William Kayatta’s move to senior status in 2024,
after President Biden’s nominee failed to advance.
Dunlap, a partner at Pierce Atwood, pledged to “uphold the Constitution.”
He previously worked on cases involving voting systems, family leave, and campaign finance laws.
The Senate also confirmed Eric Tung to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals by a 52–45 vote,
narrowing its Democratic majority and extending Trump’s judicial influence.
