Donald Trump does not like the blue-slip tradition in the Senate.
Trump was at odds with Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) last year over this tradition, as it has cost him several judicial nominees.
So far, the GOP has resisted changing the tradition, but Trump is applying more pressure, hoping to get the Senate to reverse course before the 2026 midterms take place.
Trump has been at this for a while, putting pressure on the Senate because his nominees keep being blocked in states that have two Democrat senators, as they refuse to approve anyone who is nominated by Trump.
Trump pounded Grassley back in August, posting, “This is because of an old and outdated ‘custom’ known as a BLUE SLIP, that Senator Chuck Grassley, of the Great State of Iowa, refuses to overturn, even though the Democrats, including Crooked Joe Biden (Twice!), have done so on numerous occasions.”
Several Republicans pushed back at the time, but nobody wanted to be identified for fear of Trump unloading on them.
For instance, one aide stated, “It also doesn’t make sense in the face of other members who have said regardless of what the chair may do that I would uphold the blue slip policy for the remainder of this Congress. It makes no sense picking a fight that the president has no way of winning. Period. Full stop.”
Trump and Grassley have worked well together, but the Iowa senator was furious that Trump chose to attack him publicly.
Grassley stated, “Last night, I was surprised to see President Trump on Truth Social go after me and Senate Republicans over what we call the blue slip.”
He continued, “I was offended by what the president said, and I’m disappointed it would result in personal insults.”
At the time, I stuck up for Grassley solely because I don’t like the public infighting. If Trump has a problem, he should be calling Grassley to his office or picking up the phone, not going to Truth Social to voice his objections.
Trump has once again attacked the blue-slip tradition, ramping up the pressure on Grassley and GOP senators, but now he has Attorney General Pam Bondi attacking them as well.
Bondi stated, “Democratic senators weaponized the blue slip process, making it impossible for Lindsey’s term as United States Attorney to continue after the expiration of her 120-day appointment.”
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) has pushed back on this before, stating, "I would urge my colleagues to respectfully tell the president that we would do damage to this institution, and we would do damage to the power of individual senators if we were to rescind the blue slip.”
Since deciding not to run again, Tillis has taken the gloves off against Trump, as he is one of the few Republicans in the Senate unafraid to be identified when pushing back on Trump’s policies. My take is that Trump is just stirring the pot, trying to create news other than the Minnesota shootings. This is one of those policies that you love when it benefits you, and hate when it hurts you. Regardless, I don’t see the Senate bending on this one, so Trump will continue to be frustrated with the lack of progress on judicial appointments.
