Overview

• On Truth Social, Trump accused Senate Democrats of extorting Republicans by tying approval of roughly 150 judicial nominees to the release of over $6 billion in frozen federal spending.
• Chuck Schumer had proposed confirming a subset of Trump’s nominees in exchange for funding at the National Institutes of Health, the Global Fund and the World Food Program.
• Bipartisan talks collapsed before the Senate’s August recess on August 2, leaving about 150 nominees stalled in committee and floor votes.
• Trump called on his party to enact a law barring future leverage of judicial confirmations for policy concessions.
• Lawmakers warn the confirmation impasse could complicate the September 30 government funding deadline and spark renewed budget standoffs.