The U.S. Senate has confirmed President Donald Trump’s nominee to the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals — but who is Emil Bove, and why did his nomination spark controversy?
Bove, a former federal prosecutor, has faced sharp criticism over his close ties to Trump.
He was previously a partner at a law firm founded by Todd Blanche, who now serves as deputy attorney general. Bove and Blanche represented Trump in his New York criminal trial involving payments to adult film actor Stormy Daniels. Trump was convicted in that case of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.
Most recently, Bove served as the principal associate deputy attorney general at the U.S. Justice Department. Trump nominated him to that post earlier this year before putting him forward for the federal appeals court seat.
In July, dozens of former federal and state judges signed a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee’s chair and ranking member, arguing that Bove’s record disqualified him from serving on the bench.
"The independence and credibility of the federal judiciary depend on the nomination and confirmation of individuals who demonstrate unwavering respect for the law and the institutions that uphold it," the letter states. "Elevating a nominee whose record reflects a pattern of misconduct, disregard for lawful authority, and political entanglement would not only compromise the integrity of the courts, it would set a dangerous precedent that judicial power may be wielded in service of personal fealty rather than constitutional duty."
The judges also cited a whistleblower allegation that Bove once plotted to ignore court orders the administration disagreed with, reportedly using an expletive in front of subordinates.
During his confirmation hearing, Bove said he did not recall making those statements.
Among those who endorsed the letter was Judge Shira Scheindlin, a retired U.S. District Judge in the Southern District of New York. She described Bove as a “loyal soldier” to the president.
“I mean, the president posted on social media, as the letter said, that Bove would do anything necessary to make America great again. So his biggest qualification seems to be utter loyalty to the president, no matter what," she told Scripps News. "And as you know, with respect to that letter, 80 judges signed that letter, federal and state. There were also letters by former assistant U.S. attorneys, former DOJ and U.S. attorneys, and they all signed letters too, opposing this man because of his judicial temperament and because of the decisions he has made as a senior Department of Justice person.”
During his confirmation hearing, Bove pushed back against the narrative that he’d not be an independent jurist.
“I am someone who tries to stand up for what I believe is right," he said. "I'm not afraid to make difficult decisions. I understand that some of those decisions have generated controversy."
Bove also told the committee, “I want to be clear about one thing up front, there is a wildly inaccurate caricature of me in the mainstream media. I am not anybody's henchman. I'm not an enforcer. I'm a lawyer from a small town who never expected to be in an arena like this.”
Bove’s nomination advanced out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on a 12-0 vote after Democrats walked out in protest.
Only two Republicans — Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska — voted against his confirmation on the Senate floor.
One of President Trump’s former personal attorneys is now up for a lifetime appointment as a federal judge. Emil Bove was part of legal teams that represented then Candidate Trump in the Hush Money case (NYC), the Classified Documents case (Fla) and the Election Interference case… pic.twitter.com/lPT0Lewhis
— Ava-joye (@Avajoye) July 18, 2025
