Trump Nominates Four Lawyers for Federal Judgeships in Missouri

President Donald Trump has nominated four lawyers—Joshua Divine, Maria Lanahan, Zachary Bluestone, and Cristian Stevens—for federal judgeships in Missouri, continuing his efforts to reinforce a conservative presence in the U.S. judiciary. Divine and Lanahan, both members of Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey's office, have played significant roles in high-profile legal actions against Biden administration policies, with Divine notably having clerked for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. Lanahan, a University of Chicago Law School graduate, has experience clerking for federal and state appellate judges and practicing at major law firms. Trump's announcement, made via Truth Social, raises his total second-term federal judicial nominations to five, signaling an intent to make over 100 such nominations in the coming years. The appointments are seen as a point of pride for Missouri's attorney general, who praised the nominees' legal expertise and their contributions to the state's legal successes. If confirmed by the Senate, these nominees would serve on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri.