President Donald Trump has notched a significant achievement by matching the number of U.S. attorneys confirmed in his first year with that of former President Joe Biden.

With the Senate's approval of a year-end nominations package last week, a total of 31 Trump-appointed U.S. attorneys were confirmed in 2025, equaling Biden’s first-year tally, as reported by the Washington Examiner.

Yet, the road to this point has been anything but smooth for the administration. High-profile setbacks, including legal challenges to loyalist prosecutors installed without Senate confirmation, have painted a turbulent picture.

Legal Battles and Resignations Hit Hard

Early on, Trump’s strategy faced serious hurdles with the resignation of New Jersey U.S. Attorney Alina Habba after a federal court upheld her disqualification. This ruling also led to the departure of Delaware U.S. Attorney Julianne Murray and cast doubt on several other appointments.

Courts have further challenged the administration by stripping or threatening to strip authority from U.S. attorneys in states like Virginia, California, Nevada, and New York. These decisions have forced a reevaluation of how far the White House can push against traditional confirmation norms.

The friction isn’t just in the courts; it’s also in the Senate, where the “blue slip” process lets home-state senators block nominees. Trump has called this practice a “scam,” but Senate leaders like Majority Leader John Thune and Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley have held firm against abolishing it.

Senate Dynamics and Blue Slip Standoff

Speaking out on social media, Trump declared, “‘Blue Slips’ are making it impossible to get great Republican Judges and U.S. Attorneys approved.” His direct appeal to Thune for change has so far fallen on deaf ears, showing a rare rift within Republican ranks.

A spokesperson for Grassley emphasized, “Chairman Grassley wants President Trump’s nominees to be successful.” Yet, without blue slips, nominees struggle to advance through committee or secure Senate floor votes, revealing a procedural wall.

Despite this public tension, insiders on the Senate Judiciary Committee note that confirmations are moving at a robust pace historically. The recent package alone cleared 13 U.S. attorneys among 97 executive nominees, with four even gaining blue slips from Democratic senators.

Confirmation Pace Picks Up Late

Trump’s administration sharply ramped up confirmations toward year’s end, going from just two confirmed U.S. attorneys in September to 31 by late December. This surge came through bundled nomination packages, a necessity given Democratic holds that turned routine voice votes into time-consuming roll calls.

Legal expert Carl Tobias commented on this shift, saying, “That’s promising for the system.” His words hint at cautious optimism, though many confirmed prosecutors aren’t in the most politically charged districts.

Tobias also warned about the risks of further court battles, stating, “I think the last thing they want is to have the Supreme Court say no.” Pushing appeals too far could end the administration’s alternative strategies for good.

Judicial Wins and Future Strategy

Beyond prosecutors, Trump’s judicial confirmations are outpacing his first term, with 26 federal judges confirmed by late December compared to 19 at the same point in 2017. This progress, fueled by Republican use of blue slips in the last Congress, has filled seats left vacant under Biden.

The Senate Judiciary Committee has held hearings for 96% of judicial nominees received, a record high for any new president since 1980. Grassley has championed this as proof that blue slips allow strategic conservative gains, a point he’s made publicly.

While Trump’s year-end total of 31 U.S. attorneys matches Biden’s benchmark, the path was littered with headline defeats for loyalist picks. Still, the numbers and judicial wins signal a steady, if embattled, advance for an administration learning to navigate Senate traditions and court rulings alike.