White House backtracks on NIH funding hold amid Hill uproar
'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,'' the Iowa Republican said at the opening of a committee business meeting. 'I was offended by what the President said, and I'm disappointed that it would result in personal insult.'
Trump has been using social media to go after Grassley to end the so-called blue slip policy for district court judges and U.S. attorney nominees — a practice that allows home state senators to object to the personnel picks for their state and in turn gives the minority party some power over the process. Grassley gave up the practice for circuit court judges during Trump's first term but has not indicated a willingness to jettison it for other positions.
The president began his campaign Tuesday evening in an initial demand that Grassley to have the 'courage' to end the blue slip practice 'IMMEDIATELY.' Early Wednesday, Trump was re-posting Truth Social posts that backed up his position, including one which called for 'Dethron[ing] the Kings' by placing term limits on politicians. Elected officials on the list, accompanied by their years of service, included Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and former Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi — but also Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell and Grassley, who has served in the Senate for decades and turns 92 years old in September.
Trump also highlighted another post from a Truth Social user saying it would be a fitting 'Swan song' for Grassley's lengthy career in the Senate.
It did not appear that Grassley was immediately receptive to Trump's pleading, saying Tuesday night, 'I've already spoken about the blue slip problem. And I've got no more to say than what I've been saying for 50 years.' His office also provided a statement saying Grassley has, and will continue, to move judges through his committee with buy-in from Democrats.
'To people in the Real America — not here in Washington, D.C., an island surrounded by reality — the people in Real America don't care about what the 'blue slip' is, but, in fact, it impacts the district judges who serve their communities and the U.S. Attorneys who ensure law and order is enforced,' Grassley added in remarks on Wednesday morning.
Grassley was also getting support Wednesday from members from both sides of the aisle. Sitting alongside him on the Judiciary Committee dais, ranking member Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said he appreciated Grassley chair standing by his previous commitment to maintaining blue slips: 'It really relates to the relationship between the minority and the majority on this committee and the basic rights that we have given for district court judges to the senators that we serve with.'
Members of Senate Republican leadership also indicated they had no plans currently to break with Grassley in deference to Trump's demands.
'My view on it is is, I'm happy to hear what Senator Grassley and some of my colleagues say, but no, I don't think there's any strong interest in changing that up here,' Thune told reporters Wednesday. 'We used the blue slip process in South Dakota to get the first Republican judge confirmed in our state since the Reagan administration ... so it's, you know, like I said, it's a process both sides have used.
'We'll see where the conversation goes with our colleagues, but I don't sense any rush to change it, and I think the key is to make sure that we're making good headway doing the list of judges that are on the president's list,' Thune added.
Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), said separately, 'I support the chairman.'
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