Category: Federal

  • President Trump has appointed no federal judges through June 1 of his first year of his second term

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    President Donald Trump (R) has appointed and the Senate has confirmed no Article III federal judges through June 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 President Bill Clinton (D). The average number of federal…

  • President Donald Trump ends May with 47% approval, 50% disapproval

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    At the end of May, approval polling averages showed President Donald Trump (R) at 47% approval. Fifty percent of voters disapproved of his performance. The lowest approval rating he’s received during his presidency is 44%, last seen on May 22, 2025. The highest approval rating Trump has received is 54%, last seen on Jan. 22,…

  • President Donald Trump issued 14 executive orders in May

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    President Donald Trump (R) issued 14 executive orders in May, bringing his total to 157. To view the titles and text of each order he issued in May, click here. Trump issued 46 executive orders in January 2025, more than any other month of his presidency. He issued 14 executive orders in May 2025, fewer…

  • Federal government weighs in on Texas antitrust suit against Big Three

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    The U.S. Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission filed a statement of interest last week in an 11-state, Texas-led lawsuit alleging BlackRock, State Street, and Vanguard colluded to suppress coal production, violating antitrust laws. The statement argued ESG-related coordination among asset managers could raise valid antitrust concerns. Republican-led, energy-producing states like Texas have long…

  • Supreme Court hears case on nationwide injunctions tied to birthright citizenship order

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    What happened? The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments May 15 in Trump v. CASA, Inc., a case challenging President Donald Trump’s (R) executive order restricting birthright citizenship. The case was consolidated with Trump v. Washington and Trump v. New Jersey, in which four and 18 states, respectively, filed lawsuits against the administration. The legal…

  • Proposed OPM rule would change procedures to terminate career federal employees

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    What’s the story On May 23, 2025, the public commentary window ended for a proposed Office of Personnel Management (OPM) rule that would modify the procedures for terminating career federal employees, also known as civil servants. The OPM proposed the rule on April 23. The proposed “Improving Performance, Accountability and Responsiveness in the Civil Service”…

  • House passes One Big Beautiful Bill Act budget reconciliation bill 215-214

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    House Republicans’ 2025 budget reconciliation package, H.R. 1 – the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, passed the chamber 215-214 on May 22. Approval in the House sent the bill to the Senate. The bill includes provisions on tax policy, border security and immigration, defense, energy production, the debt limit, adjustments to SNAP and Medicaid, and…

  • Tracker: Article III federal judicial nominations by president by days in office since 2001

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    There were 47 vacancies in the 890 authorized federal judicial posts as of May 16, 2025. Forty-six of those vacancies were for Article III judgeships. This report is limited to Article III courts, where appointees are confirmed to lifetime judgeships. By May 16, 2025—117 days in office—President Donald Trump (R) had nominated five judges to…