Trump’s Judicial Nominations Show Growing Anti-Abortion Trend

Whitney Hermandorfer, the first Trump judicial nominee confirmed in his second term, has an anti-abortion record.

During his re-election campaign, President Donald Trump declared that abortion law would be left to individual states if he won a second term. Despite this, he has quietly influenced national abortion politics through his judicial appointees. An analysis by the Associated Press reveals that nearly half of Trump’s federal court nominees hold openly anti-abortion views or have ties to anti-abortion groups.

Many of these nominees have argued in favor of restricting abortion access or defending state laws banning abortion. For instance, Whitney Hermandorfer defended Tennessee’s abortion ban as an attorney, and Jordan Pratt supported Florida’s 15-week abortion restriction. Others, like John Guard and Bill Mercer, have directly supported anti-abortion legislation or voted for related bills.

Some nominees have also sought to limit access to abortion pills, despite extensive scientific evidence confirming their safety. For example, Maria Lanahan and Joshua Divine, working in Missouri’s Attorney General’s office, co-authored litigation challenging the FDA’s approval of abortion medications.

The influence of these appointments extends beyond individual cases. Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, appointed by Trump, issued a ruling in 2023 that challenged the FDA’s approval of mifepristone, a medication used in medication abortions. The case has since been moved to an appeals court with multiple Trump appointees, illustrating how these lifetime appointments can shape abortion access for years to come.

Experts warn that the power of lower federal courts is significant, as they decide many cases that affect reproductive rights. Advocates emphasize that these nominees’ anti-abortion stance is a deliberate effort to restrict access nationwide, posing a threat to reproductive freedoms.

“It’s no surprise that Trump continues to nominate anti-abortion extremists, disregarding his promise to leave it to the states,” said Mini Timmaraju, president of Reproductive Freedom for All. “These judges loyally support Trump’s agenda to ban abortion across the country.”