Overview

• President Donald Trump has named Whitney Hermandorfer as his first judicial nominee since returning to office, selecting her for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
• Hermandorfer, currently leading strategic litigation in the Tennessee Attorney General’s Office, has a record of challenging federal policies tied to cultural and constitutional issues.
• She previously clerked for Supreme Court Justices Samuel Alito and Amy Coney Barrett, as well as Judge Brett Kavanaugh before his elevation to the high court.
• If confirmed by the Republican-controlled Senate, Hermandorfer would further solidify the Sixth Circuit's conservative majority, which has been shaped by Trump’s prior appointments.
• The nomination highlights Trump’s continued emphasis on appointing originalist judges to lifetime positions, aligning with his broader judicial legacy from his first term.