Trump Picks His Own Lawyer for Appeals Court Job

Trump Picks His Own Lawyer For Appeals Court Job

Donald Trump just tapped his own former defense lawyer, Emil Bove, for a seat on a powerful federal appeals court. Yep, you read that right.

Bove, who helped defend Trump in his recent criminal trial in New York, has been nominated to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. That’s a lifetime gig. And it covers big states like Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Trump’s announcement came Tuesday, calling Bove “SMART, TOUGH, and respected by everyone.” That’s a direct quote, posted to his Truth Social account.

Bove isn’t new to law enforcement. He’s a former Assistant U.S. Attorney who co-led the terrorism and international narcotics unit in the Southern District of New York. After that, he worked his way up to the top ranks at the Justice Department during Trump’s second term.

But it hasn’t all been smooth sailing.

Bove’s DOJ record is already under fire. He drew backlash earlier this year after dropping a federal corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Critics—including DOJ insiders—said the move was politically motivated and sparked a wave of resignations. Ethics complaints followed.

According to a report from the Associated Press, Bove also oversaw the removal of senior FBI officials who were investigating the January 6 Capitol riot, accusing them of being too politically biased.

Legal scholars and former DOJ staffers have raised red flags. “This nomination threatens to politicize the judiciary even more,” one former federal prosecutor told AP.

Still, if confirmed by the Senate, Bove would be a permanent fixture in the federal court system—one with major influence on immigration, election laws, and beyond.

Bove hasn’t made a public statement yet, and the White House hasn’t said when his confirmation hearing will happen.