Kerby Anderson

The longest impact a president can make on the country is through the federal judges he appoints to the court. After three years in office, President Trump has appointed and had confirmed more federal judges than previous presidents in the last few decades.

The highest court below the Supreme Court is the Circuit Court. More than a quarter (27%) of the US circuit court judges are Trump nominees. Let’s put this in perspective. President Obama appointed and confirmed 55 circuit court judges by the end of his eight years in office. Already President Trump has appointed and confirmed 50 judges to the circuit court benches.

The Trump appointments have already flipped three circuit courts to majority Republican-appointed judges. These courts will be hearing significant cases involving a wide range of issues. Remember that very few court cases (probably only 70-80 a year) ever reach the Supreme Court. The decisions rendered by these circuit courts establish precedents and have a significant influence in laws and policies.

Overall, President Trump has installed a total of 187 federal judges, most of whom are young and will likely serve a very long time. Moreover, most of these judges hold to a belief in originalism, meaning they interpret the Constitution according to its original intent.

The editors of the Wall Street Journal explained why that is good. “A new era of originalism in the courts should be good for the law, and for the public reputation of the judiciary as nonpartisan interpreter of the Constitution. Such an era may even be good for progressives, who will have to win their arguments the old-fashioned way—via political debate and elections.”

I agree that this new era will be good for America because it will be based on the proper interpretation of the Constitution.