President Donald Trump has nominated Justice Department official Emil Bove, who defended him during his hush money criminal trial, to serve on the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The announcement was made on Truth Social, where Trump praised Bove as someone who would "end the Weaponization of Justice" and "MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN."
Bove, currently the principal associate deputy attorney general, must be confirmed by the Senate, which is controlled by Republicans 53-47. In addition to Bove, Trump nominated five individuals from Florida for federal district court judgeships: Ed Artau, Kyle Dudek, John Guard, Anne-Leigh Gaylord Moe, and Jordan Pratt. These bring Trump’s second-term judicial nominations to 11, building on the 234 appointments made during his first term.
Bove previously represented Trump alongside Todd Blanche in Trump’s Manhattan criminal case, where Trump was convicted on 34 felony counts for falsifying records related to hush money paid to Stormy Daniels. Trump is appealing the conviction.
After Trump returned to office, Bove briefly served as acting deputy attorney general. He implemented policies aimed at removing what Trump called political bias in the DOJ. In a controversial move, Bove ordered the dismissal of a corruption case against NYC Mayor Eric Adams, taking over the case himself when prosecutors objected. The case was later dismissed, drawing criticism and prompting ethics complaints.
Despite the complaints, no disciplinary investigation into Bove was pursued. Democratic Senator Dick Durbin voiced concerns over Bove’s nomination, citing it as part of a larger effort to erode DOJ independence. The 3rd Circuit Court, which serves Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, currently has two vacancies, both from President Biden’s term.