President Trump has stepped up his campaign against the Senate’s “blue slip” tradition—a century-old custom that allows home-state senators to block his nominees from advancing. Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump labeled the practice “outdated” and “unconstitutional,” and pledged soon to file a lawsuit challenging it.
The confrontation stems from the stalled nomination of Alina Habba, his pick for New Jersey U.S. Attorney, which failed due to blue slip opposition from Democratic Senators Cory Booker and Andy Kim. Trump accused Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley of allowing Democrats to “laugh at him” and urged him to stand firm and tell the senators to “go to hell.”
Chairman Grassley, however, defended the tradition, calling it essential for ensuring diverse input on nominations and maintaining the Senate’s advice-and-consent role. Despite Trump’s mounting pressure, GOP senators have insisted they will continue respecting the custom—highlighting deep divisions within the party.