President Donald Trump (R) has appointed and the Senate has confirmed five Article III federal judges through September 1, 2025, his first year of his second term in office. This is the fewest Article III judicial appointments through this point in all presidents’ second terms since Bill Clinton (D). The average number of federal judges appointed by previous presidents through September 1 of his first year in office during his second term is 13.
By September 1 of his first year of his second term, President Barack Obama (D) had the most appointees confirmed with 29, while Trump had the fewest at five.
The median number of Supreme Court appointees is zero. No president had appointed any SCOTUS justices by this point in his second term of the presidency.
The median number of United States Court of Appeals appointees is 4.5. Obama had the most appointees with eight. Trump appointed the fewest with two.
The median number of United States District Court appointees is five. Obama had the most appointees with 19. Trump appointed the fewest with three.
Article III federal judges are appointed for life terms by the president of the United States and confirmed by the U.S. Senate per Article III of the United States Constitution. Article III judges include judges on the: Supreme Court of the United States, U.S. courts of appeal, U.S. district courts, and the Court of International Trade.