In a closely divided vote, the U.S. Senate confirmed President Donald Trump’s nominee Joshua Dunlap to the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals — a major breakthrough for the administration and a symbolic win in reshaping the federal judiciary.
The 52–46 vote, split almost entirely along party lines, gives Trump his first-ever appointee to the Boston-based court that oversees New England — a bench historically dominated by Democratic picks.
Dunlap, a conservative attorney from Maine known for his challenges to state voting laws and campaign finance rules, replaces Judge William Kayatta, an Obama appointee who took senior status last year.
His confirmation ends the 1st Circuit’s distinction as the only appeals court without a Republican-appointed judge. The same week, Trump notched another victory with the confirmation of Eric Tung to the 9th Circuit, further tilting the judiciary’s balance and underscoring his renewed push to leave a lasting mark on America’s courts.
