Republicans demand Trump cut American legal association out of nominee process

Several Republican senators have taken issue with the American Bar Association (ABA) and are calling for President Donald Trump to take drastic action against the group. In a letter to ABA President William Bay, lawmakers said the group, which plays a key role in judicial nominations, had become “biased and ideologically captured.” Now, those lawmakers want President Trump to “remove the ABA from the judicial nomination process entirely.”

Sen. Eric Schmitt, Sen. Ted Cruz, Sen. Marsha Blackburn, Sen. Josh Hawley, Sen. Bernie Moreno and Sen. Mike Lee are also calling on their fellow senators to “disregard the ABA’s recommendations.”

President Donald Trump speaks before Pam Bondi (C) is sworn in as US Attorney General in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on Feb. 5, 2025 as US Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas (R) looks on.  (ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)

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In the explosive letter there are allegations, including that the ABA has taken political stances against the Trump administration and that the group has been quiet about its taking funds from USAID. The federal aid group has been a target of the Trump administration, something the ABA has criticized.

“The ABA states, ‘Americans expect better.’ But President Trump won both electoral and popular votes. It seems Americans expect — and want — the Trump administration,” the senators’ letter reads.

Sen. Schmitt tweeted out the letter along with several criticisms of the ABA’s recent actions and statements. In particular, Schmitt took issue with statements the ABA published on Feb. 10 and March 3, both of which were critical of the Trump administration.

“It has been three weeks since Inauguration Day. Most Americans recognize that newly elected leaders bring change. That is expected. But most Americans also expect that changes will take place in accordance with the rule of law,” the ABA wrote in its Feb. 10 statement. Additionally, the Feb. 10 statement condemns the “dismantling of USAID.”

Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO) walks to a luncheon with Senate Republicans at the U.S. Capitol Building on Feb. 27, 2024 in Washington, D.C. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

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The senators reference this statement in their letter, saying that the ABA made “inflammatory claims” against the Trump administration “without citing legal reasoning for those arguments.”  One of these claims is that the “dismantling of USAID” is illegal, but the senators note that the ABA does not explain why these actions are not permitted under the law.

“It is questionable whether the ABA is committed to defending liberty or its own sources of funding,” the senators wrote, referring to the organization’s defense of USAID.

Signage is seen outside the American Bar Association (ABA) in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 10, 2021. (REUTERS/Andrew Kelly)

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The lawmakers also criticized the ABA’s March 3 statement in which the group slams purported “efforts to undermine the courts.” In their letter, the lawmakers note that the association did not issue any statements against former President Joe Biden when he defied the Supreme Court on student loan forgiveness.

In their letter, the senators call out the ABA’s implementation of diversity, equity and inclusion policies, which the Trump administration has been working to root out of the government.