Trump Plans Lawsuit Challenging Senate Blue Slip Tradition Blocking Judicial Nominees

President Donald Trump has announced plans to file a lawsuit challenging the Senate's longstanding 'blue slip' tradition, an informal practice allowing home state senators to block judicial and U.S. attorney nominees. Trump argues that this custom, which is not codified in law, is unconstitutional and has effectively prevented him from appointing judges and U.S. attorneys, particularly in states with Democratic senators. Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Chuck Grassley has defended the practice, stating that nominees without blue slips would not secure enough votes for confirmation and emphasizing that he aims to set Trump's nominees up for success. The dispute intensified over the blocked confirmation of Alina Habba as U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, with Trump accusing Grassley of unfairly adhering to the tradition and calling on him to instruct Democrats to stop obstructing. Legal experts note that courts might be reluctant to intervene in Senate customs due to legislative immunity under the Speech or Debate clause and the informal nature of the blue slip tradition. Trump's move represents an escalation in his efforts to overcome what he views as partisan obstruction in the judicial appointment process.