Trump announces Tennessee attorney as first judicial nomination of second term
President Donald Trump named a Tennessee woman as his first judicial nomination since returning to office for a second term.
In a social media post late May 1, Trump announced Whitney Hermandorfer as his pick for the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. Hermandorfer currently serves as director of the strategic litigation unit in Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti's office.
The sixth circuit covers Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Tennessee. The court sits in Cincinnati, Ohio. Hermandorfer, if confirmed, will replace Judge Jane Branstetter Stranch, appointed by former President Barack Obama, who last year said she planned to take senior status, a form of semi-retirement for judges.
In her time with the Tennessee Attorney General's Office, Hermandorfer worked to defend the state's near-total abortion ban and challenged the ban on discrimination against transgender students.
Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti posted about Hermandorfer's nomination on X, the site formerly known as Twitter, calling her leadership a high bar of excellence.
"She has led not just teams of Tennessee attorneys but broad coalitions of states from across the country," Skrmetti wrote. "President Trump has selected a lawyer's lawyer for this important role. Whitney Hermandorfer's unwavering commitment to the rule of law, her exacting analytical rigor, and her unshakeable optimism will serve our country well.
Hermandorfer, Skrmetti said, will have big shoes to fill.
"Her service on the Sixth Circuit exemplifies the combination of intellect, integrity, and kindness I expect Whitney will herself bring to the Court," Skrmetti said of Stranch. "Both are proud Tennesseans and proud moms, and both are outstanding role models for young attorneys and aspiring judges."
U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee, added to the praise for Hermandorfer.
"Throughout Whitney's esteemed career, she has demonstrated that she will be a fair-minded, principled jurist who will apply our nation's laws as they are written and protect the constitutional rights of all Americans," Blackburn said. "The President could not have selected a better individual to be his first judicial nomination this term, and I look forward to swiftly advancing Whitney's nomination through the Senate Judiciary Committee and onto the Senate floor to get her confirmed.'
Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman applauded Hermandorfer's nomination.
'Whitney was one of the brilliant advocates behind our lawsuit to protect women's sports, and her ability to see around legal corners led to key victories all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court," Coleman said. 'While I know our colleague, Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti, will be sorry to lose Whitney's talent, Kentucky is eager to have her join our circuit bench. I'm proud to congratulate Whitney and her family, and we encourage the U.S. Senate to confirm her nomination.'
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: President Trump nominates Tennessee attorney as federal judge
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