The **U.S. Senate**, led by Republicans, confirmed two significant judicial appointments for President **Donald Trump** this week, furthering conservative influence on key federal appellate courts. By a 52-46 vote along party lines, **Joshua Dunlap**, a conservative lawyer from **Maine**, secured a life-tenured seat on the **1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals**. This confirmation is pivotal, as the Boston-based **1st Circuit** was the only appellate court lacking active Republican appointees, making it a key venue for opposing the **Trump** administration’s policies. Dunlap’s background includes work for conservative legal rights non-profits and challenging state policies in **Maine**.

Furthermore, the Senate confirmed **Eric Tung** to the **9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals** by a 52-45 vote. Tung, a former clerk for conservative Supreme Court Justices **Neil Gorsuch** and the late **Antonin Scalia**, is **Trump’s** first appointment to the San Francisco-based court in his second term. This confirmation brings **Trump’s** total appointments on the historically liberal **9th Circuit** to ten, significantly weakening the influence of Democratic appointees. **Trump** characterized Tung online as a “Tough Patriot” committed to preserving the Rule of Law in “Leftist States.”