Trump Calls Out The GOP?
President Trump delivered a blunt message Monday, accusing some Senate Republicans of handing Democrats the power to block his U.S. attorney nominations, including the nomination of his former personal attorney Alina Habba. The controversy erupted after Habba announced she would step down as New Jersey’s top federal prosecutor following a federal court ruling that she had exceeded her interim authority.
Trump made it clear: the problem is the Senate’s outdated “blue slip” rule, a tradition that allows home-state senators to veto presidential appointments.
“Republicans should be ashamed of themselves for letting this go on,” Trump said. “I can’t appoint a strong, conservative U.S. attorney because Democrats can block it with one signature.”
Blue Slip Rule Gives Democrats Majority Control Over Key Appointments
The blue slip tradition has become a major obstacle for conservative nominees. In Habba’s case, New Jersey Democrats Cory Booker and Andy Kim opposed her nomination immediately, effectively shutting down the confirmation process before it even started.
When Habba’s interim term expired, federal judges in New Jersey chose not to extend her time in office. Instead, they invoked a rarely used power to elevate her first assistant. That appointee was later removed by Attorney General Pam Bondi, leading the Trump administration to withdraw Habba’s formal nomination but keep her in control of the office under alternative titles.
However, the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals struck down that arrangement, ruling it violated federal law governing temporary U.S. attorney appointments.
Habba responded forcefully:
“I was focused on real results for the American people, and this broken blue-slip system was weaponized by left-wing judges,” she said in her resignation statement.
Trump Calls Out Sen. Chuck Grassley for Allowing the System to Continue
Trump also singled out Senate Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) for defending the blue slip rule, even though it has repeatedly allowed Democrats to obstruct conservative nominees.
“I hope someone talks to Sen. Grassley,” Trump said. “I bring forward the best people — top legal minds — and Democrats can block them instantly. I even had people tell me to ‘just appoint Democrats’ because the blue slip makes it impossible.”
Grassley has argued that Republicans have also benefited from the rule, noting that dozens of Biden-backed liberal nominees were blocked because of it.
But the political reality is clear: the rule has become a powerful tool for Democrat obstruction in states they control.
Habba Joins Growing List of Trump-Aligned U.S. Attorneys Forced Out
Habba is now the fourth Trump-aligned U.S. attorney removed after Democrat resistance stalled confirmations.
The Trump administration is currently appealing similar disqualification rulings involving U.S. attorneys in Nevada and California, and has yet to decide whether to appeal the removal of Lindsey Halligan in Virginia.
Halligan’s removal led to the dismissal of major cases against two longtime Trump adversaries:
- Former FBI Director James Comey
- New York Attorney General Letitia James (D)
Prosecutors say they are reviewing whether new charges can be brought.
What This Fight Means for Conservatives Going Forward
This saga highlights several issues that resonate strongly with conservative voters:
✔ Democrats continue to weaponize procedural rules to block Trump’s efforts
✔ Republican leadership has failed to modernize outdated Senate traditions
✔ Qualified conservative legal professionals are being sidelined
✔ Trump is pushing for stronger reforms to restore fairness and accountability
For voters concerned about law and order, judicial fairness, and deep-state obstruction, this fight underscores why Trump continues to insist the system must be rebuilt from the ground up.
